UC-NRLF 


EACH 


AND  TEACHERS 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
Deceived       JA|y|     6    V893     '  l8* 

Accessions  No.  H'T    •  Class  No. 


TEACHING  AND  TEACHERS 


OR 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER'S 
TEACHING  WORK 


THE  OTHER  WORK 
OF  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER 


BY 


H.  CLAY  TRUMBULL,  D.D. 

Editor  of  The  Sunday  School  Times; 

Formerly  Normal  Secretary 
of  The  American  Sunday  School  Union. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
JOHN  D.  WATTLES,  Publisher. 

1888. 


WYEBSIT7 


Copyright,  1884, 

by 
H.  CLAY  TRUMBULL. 


PREFACE. 


THE  special  characteristic  of  this  volume  on  the  Sunday- 
school  teacher's  work,  in  contrast  with  the  many  other 
books  on  the  same  general  subject,  is  its  attempt  at  com- 
pleteness in  a  systematic  order,  with  the  avoidance  of 
purely  technical  terms.  Its  style  is  adapted  to  the  ordinary 
teacher's  comprehension,  and  its  aim  is  to  be  readable ; 
while  the  whole  structure  of  the  work  is  based  on  sound 
philosophical  principles. 

The  writer  has  had  some  advantages  for  this  service,  in 
that  he  has  had  not  a  little  experience  in  Sunday-school 
teaching  in  both  church  and  mission  schools,  in  city 
and  in  country,  and  has  long  had  occasion  to  study  and 
to  write  on  the  principles  and  the  methods  of  Teaching. 
In  lectures  and  addresses,  and  in  colloquial  discussions, 
for  a  series  of  years,  on  the  various  phases  of  this  general 
theme,  before  Sunday-school  conventions  and  institutes, 
teachers'  meetings,  normal  classes,  and  theological  semi- 
naries, he  has  been  compelled  to  test  his  theories  and  his 
opinions,  by  comparison  with  other  experts,  and  under 
the  pressure  of  keen  criticism  from  bright  thinkers  and 


Preface. 


sharp  doubters ;  so  that  what  he  now  gives  to  the  public 
is  the  matured  result  of  the  experience,  the  study,  and 
the  discussions,  of  years. 

Much  that  is  in  these  pages  has,  in  one  form  or  another, 
already  seen  the  light,  in  the  columns  of  The  Sunday 
School  Times,  The  National  Sunday  School  Teacher,  The 
Sunday  School  Workman,  The  Sunday  School  World,  The 
Sunday  School  Journal,  The  Independent,  The  New  York 
Observer,  The  Congregationalist,  The  Advance,  and  other 
religious  papers.  Much  of  it,  however,  is  quite  new ;  and 
all  of  it  has  been  re-cast  for  this  work. 

That  there  is  a  place  for  such  a  volume,  the  writer  has 
not  a  doubt.  That  this  volume  will  fill  that  place,  is  his 
desire.  It  is  for  the  readers  to  ascertain  how  far  it  meets 
their  needs  in  the  direction  of  its  aim  and  endeavor. 

PHILADELPHIA,  September,  1884. 


CONTENTS 


Page 
PREFACE  ,    .    .    xi 


PART  I. 
THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER'S  TEACHING  WORK. 

THE    TEACHING    PROCESS. 


CHAPTER  1.    ITS  NATURE. 

PRELIMINAR  Y  STATEMENT, 


SECTION  I. 

NOT  ALL  TEACHING  IS  TEACHING. 

Teaching  and  Teaching ;  Vague  Notions  of  Teaching ;  One  Hindrance 
to  Knowledge;  Claiming  is  not  Having;  How  Many  "  Teachers"  are 
Teachers  f  .  .  5 

SECTION  II. 
TELLING  IS  NOT  TEACHING. 

A  Common  Error;  No  Teaching  Without  Learning;  Ignorance  of  Long- 
time Hearers ;  A  Good  Teacher's  Great  Failure ;  The  Pump  and  the 

Bellows;   What  Telling  may  do 9 

iii 


iv  Contents. 

SECTION  III. 
HEARING  A  RECITATION  IS  NOT  TEACHING. 

Hearing  is  not  Teaching;  Reciting  is  not  Learning;  Rote- questions 
bring  Rote  answers;  Buying  Books  does  not  Bring  Knowledge;  Blind 
Alec  of  Stirling ;  Parrot  Mathematicians ;  What  Memorizing  cannot  do  16 

SECTION  IV. 

WHAT  TEACHING  IS. 

Showing  Errors  is  not  Showing  the  Truth;  Indefiniteness  of  the  Definitions; 
The  Essence  of  All  Teaching ;  Teaching  Includes  Learning;  Other 
Meanings  for  Teaching,  than  Teaching;  Two  Persons  Needed  to  make 
One  Teacher;  A  Teachers  Other  Work  than  Teaching 26 


CHAPTER  2.    ITS  ESSENTIALS. 
PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT 35 

SECTION  I. 
YOU  MUST  KNOW  WHOM  YOU  ARE  TO  TEACH. 

~Wliy  You  should  Know  Your  Scholars ;  Absurd  Teaching ;  Well-informed 
Ignorance;  Children  s  Lack  of  Knowledge;  All  Things  to  All  Men ; 
Giving  a  Prescription 37 

SECTION  II. 

YOU  MUST  KNOW  WHAT  YOU  ARE  TO  TEACH. 

Scholars  may  Study,  but  Teachers  must;  A  Boston  Blunder;  Knowing 
about  the  Lesson,  without  Knowing  the  Lesson;  A  Yorkshire  Method; 
WJiat  you  must  be  Sure  of 52 


Contents.  v 

SECTION  III. 

YOU  MUST  KNOW  HOW  YOU  ARE  TO   TEACH. 

Page 
Knowing  How  is  Essential  to  Well-doing ;   A  Doctor  with  all  Kinds  of 

Knowledge  but  One ;   The  Need  of  a   Vent-hole  ;    Choosing  your  own 
Method  .  ,    .    ,  ,60 


CHAPTER  3.    ITS  ELEMENTS. 

PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT 68 

SECTION  I. 
HAVING  THE  ATTENTION  OF  THOSE  YOU  WOULD  TEACH. 

No  Teaching  without  Attention ;  What  Attention  is ;  Attention  on  the 
Play-ground;  Attention  in  the  Army ;  Attention  in  the  Sunday- 
school;  Attention  at  Family  Prayers;  The  Necessity  of  Holding 
Attention  as  well  as  Getting  it 70 

SECTION   II. 
MAKING  CLEAR   THAT  WHICH  YOU  TEACH. 

Making  Truth  Clear  is  More  than  Declaring  Truth;  Intermediate 
Agencies  in  the  Transfer  of  Ideas;  Words  Less  Expressive  than 
Visible  Objects ;  Signs  have  not  Always  the  Same  Meaning  ;  Speaking 
in  Unknown  Tongues;  Children's  Impressions  from  Unfamiliar 
Words ;  Cultivating  Stupidity  •  Getting  the  R  eturn  Message  ...  79 

SECTION  III. 

SECURING  YOUR   SCHOLARS'  CO-WORK: 

Need  of  the  Scholar's  Help ;  The  Learner  must  Give,  to  Keep  ;  Telling,  a 
Part  of  Learning ;  The,  Difference  between  Teaching  and  Preaching ; 


Contents. 

Page 

Influence  and  Instruction;   Cleansing  a  Mind,   not   Furnishing  it; 

Teaching  not  the  Teacher's  only  Work;   Philosophy  of  the  Teaching- 
process  92 


CHAPTER  4.    ITS  METHODS. 
PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT 103 

METHODS:   IN  PKEPAKATION. 
SECTION  I. 

HOW  TO  STUDY  YOUR  SCHOLARS  FOR   THEIR 
TEACHING. 

Difficulty  of  Showing  how  to  Know  Human  Nature ;  The  Science  and  the 
Art  of  Teaching;  Color-blind  Teachers;  Old  Sermons  for  New 
Hearers;  Aptness  to  Teach;  The  Child  and  the  Chinaman;  Knowing 
a  Child's  Character;  Knowing  his  Surroundings;  Knowing  his 
Attainments;  How  to  Compass  All  This 105 

SECTION  II. 

HOW  TO  STUDY  A  LESSON  FOR  ITS  TEACHING. 

What  Solomon  and  Paul  would  Need;  What  Studying  a  Lesson  Means ; 
Having  d  Plan  of  Study;  Old- Time  Plans  and  Later  Ones;  The 
Order  of  True  Study;  Not  Attempting  Too  Much;  Testing  One's 
Preparation 116 

SECTION  III. 
HOW  TO  PLAN  FOR  A  LESSON'S  TEACHING. 

Necessity  of  a  Teaching  Plan ;  Tantalus  and  his  Successors ;  JBugbear 
Methods  of  Teaching ;  Being  Scientific  without  Knowing  it ;  Various 


Contents.  vii 

Page 

Lights  from  one  Crystal ;  Ananias  and  Sapphira ;   A  Beginning,  a 

Middle,  and  an  Ending ;  Keeping  within  Time ; "  One  Teacher  s  Way 
of  Doing 125 

METHODS:  IN  PKACTICE. 
SECTION  I. 

HOW  TO  GET  AND  HOLD  YOUR  SCHOLARS'  ATTENTION. 

The  Teacher  R  esponsible  for  his  Scholar's  Duty ;  Forcing  Another1  s  Incli- 
nations; The  Eyes  and  the  Tongue;  Lessons  from  the  Pulpit ;  Begin 
Right;  The  Blackboard,  Seen  andUnseen ;  A  Sheep-shearing  Utilized; 
Holding  as  Well  as  Getting 138 

SECTION  II. 
HO  W  TO  MAKE  CLEAR  THAT  WHICH  YO U  WO ULD  TEACH. 

The  Main  Point  Now ;  Starting  at  the  Bottom ;  Working  Patiently ;  Using 
Illustrations;  A  Pattern  Example;  Avoiding  Symbolic  Language; 
Miracles  Simpler  than  Parables;  The  Help  of  the  Scholar's  Eye  .  .  150 

SECTION  III. 

HOW  TO  SECURE  YOUR  SCHOLARS1  CO -WORK  IN 
LESSON-  TEA  CHING. 

Finding  the  Scholar's  Level;  Knowing  Too  Much  to  Teach;  Putting  Chil- 
dren at  Ease  ;  Giving  Them  Something  to  Do ;  Naaman  and  Gehazi ; 
Modes  of  Questioning ;  Gall's  System;  Fitch's  Mistake;  How  Not  to 
Do  It;  Scholars'  Questions;  Class  Slates;  Inter-working  Plan  .  .  .  167 

METHODS:   IN  KEVIEW. 

SECTION  I. 
TESTING  THE  SCHOLARS  KNOWLEDGE. 

Examinations  Needful  in  all  Schools ;  A  New  Application  of  Pharaoh's 
Dream;  Necessity  of  Frequent  Testings;  Elijah  and  Ahab ;  One 


viii  Contents. 

Page 

Scholar's   Progress ;    Methods  of  Test  Questioning ;    Father   Paxsons 

Trouble;  Getting  What  You  Want;  The  Test  in  Testing 199 

SECTION  II. 

FASTENING  THE  TRUTH  TAUGHT. 

Over  and  Over  Again;  A  Lesson  from  the  Jesuits;  How  Much  Reviewing 
is  in  Order ;  Our  Liability  to  Forget ;  The  Method  of  Jesus ;  Paul's 
Method;  Repetition  at  a  Pulpit  Power;  Repetition  in  Literature; 
Class  Methods  of  Repetition 210 

SECTION  III. 

NEW -VIE  WING  THE  WHOLE. 

4  Threefold  Work  in  Reviewing;  How  a  Child  Learns  to  Read;  Gain 
of  a  Perspective;  Three  Lessons  New-viewed;  The  Thirteenth  New 
Lesson  ;  Specimen  New  -  Views 221 

RECAPITULATION    ,  ...  .236 


PART  II. 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER'S  OTHER  WORK 
THAN  TEACHING. 

THE   SHAPING    AND   GUIDING  OF   SCHOLARS. 


PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT 241 

SECTION  I. 
HAVING  AND  USING  INFLUENCE. 

The  Meaning  of  "  Influence;"   Fro1^,  the  Heavens;     Voluntary  and  In- 
vofantary ;  A  Right  Purpose ;    Uncle  John    Vassar ;   A  Reinemlert,d 


Contents.  ix 

Pagfl 
Teacher;  Specimen  Superintendents;    Thomas  Arnold's  Power;    The 

Power    of    Character;     The    Church     Window;     The    Incarnation; 
Unconscious  Tuition;  Losing  an  Ideal;   A  Teachers  Responsibility; 

Now,  and  By  and  By 243 

SECTION  II. 
LOVING,  AND  WINNING  LOVE. 

What  Love  is ;  No  Power  Like  Love ;  Love  in  a  Garret ;  Every  Man  Has 
a  Heart ;  Love  as  a  Duty ;  Instances  of  Love ;  All  Can  Love ;  Christ's 
Image  Reproduced  in  Love 28/ 

SECTION  III. 
MANAGING  SCHOLARS  WHILE  PRESENT. 

Practical  Details  to  be  Considered ;  What  Managing  Means ;  Gain  of  a 
Great  Need ;  A  Troublesome  Class  ;  A  Teacher  s  Sufficiency ;  Testing 
the  Teacher;  Preparation  Needjul ;  At  the  Teacher1  s  Home ;  A  Word 
in  the  Ear;  Specimen  Scholars;  A  Class  as  a  Class;  A  Teacher's 
Helpers;  Having  What  You  Want,-  A  Slow  Work;  The  Bronze 
Finishers 297 

SECTION  IV. 

REACHING  SCHOLARS  WHEN  ABSENT. 

Danger  of  Losing  the  Absent;  Causes  of  Absence ;  Gain  of  Work  for  the 
Absent ;  The  Apostle  John  and  the  Robber ;  Calling  Back  the  Truant ; 
Writing  Letters  to  the  Absent ;  Gain  through  Letter-  Writing  .  .  .  327 

SECTION  V. 
HELPING  SCHOLARS  TO  CHRISTIAN  DECISION. 

The  End  and  Aim  of  Sunday-school  Work;  Confounding  Conversion  with 
Regeneration;  Urging  the  Wrong  Child;  Mistaking  the  Spiritual  State 
of  Others;  Seeking  to  Learn  a  Scholars  Needs;  Helping  a  Scholar  to 
the  Right  Stand 340 


x  Contents. 

SECTION  VI. 

COUNSELING  AZD  AIDING  AT  ALL  TIMES. 

Page 
General  Duties  of  a  Teacher ;   The  Sunday-school  in  the  Plan  of  God; 

The  Family,  the  School,  and  the  Pulpit;  Advantages  of  the  School 
over  Family  and  Pulpit;  The  Clergyman  over  All;  Helping  Scholars 
in  Secular  Concerns;  Helping  into  the  Ministry;  Duties  Never  Con- 
flict; Guiding  a  Scholar's  Reading ;  Caring  for  Christian  Scholars;  A 
Lesson  from  the  Looms ;  The  Final  Judgment 352 

INDEX  .  379 


I. 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER'S 
TEACHING  WORK 


THE  TEACHING  PROCESS. 


1.    ITS  NATURE. 


PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT. 

ALL  Sunday-school  teachers  ought  to  be  teachers 
in  the  Sunday-school.  Being  teachers  in  the  Sun- 
day-school, they  ought  to  teaeh  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  In  order  to  teach  in  the  Sunday-school, 
they  need  to  know  what  teaching  is.  An  initial 
purpose  of  this  volume  is  so  to  designate  and  define 
the  nature  and  methods,  and  so  to  indicate  the 
comparative  rarity,  of  proper  Sunday-school  teach- 
ing, as  will  enable  Sunday-school  teachers  to  know 
whether  or  not  they  are,  or  ever  have  been,  teachers 
in  the  Sunday-school.  There  is  practical  need  of 
honest  doubt  at  this  point ;  especially  on  the  part 
of  those  who  have  never  supposed  there  was  any 
cause  of  questioning  just  here. 

This  may,  indeed,  seem  to  be  a  confusing  and  a 
discouraging  way  of  approaching  so  important  a 
subject;  but  there  is  sometimes  a  gain  through  one's 
being  confused  and  discouraged.  If  one  is  in  serious 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Gain  through 
confusion. 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


error,  it  is  important  to  find  it  out.  If  one  is  on  the 
wrong  track,  it  is  well  for  him  to  be  discouraged  in 
and  from  his  purpose  of  continuing  on  that  track. 
And,  in  such  a  case,  confusion  of  mind  may  he  a 
necessary  preliminary  to  a  new  clearness  of  appre- 
hension. And  first,  in  this  instance,  it  is  well  to 
note,  that  not  all  teaching  is  teaching. 


Vague  Notions  of  Teaching. 


NOT  ALL  TEACHING  IS  TEACHING. 

Teaching  and  Teaching  ;  Vague  Notions  of  Teaching ;  One  Hindrance 
to  Knowledge;  Claiming  is  not  Having;  How  Many  "Teachers" 
are  Teachers  ? 

EVERYBODY  will  admit  that  not  all  teaching  is 
what  it  ought  to  be.  Everybody  might  fairly  admit 
that  not  all  teaching  is  what  it  is  supposed  to  be. 
"Whether  it  be  generally  admitted  or  not,  it  is  cer- 
tainly true,  that  a  great  deal  that  bears  the  name  of 
"  teaching"  is  by  no  means  entitled  to  that  name ; 
that  although  it  is  "  teaching,"  in  name,  it  is  not 
teaching,  in  fact.  There  are  even  those  who  call 
themselves  "teachers"  who  do  not  know  whether 
they  are  teachers  or  not.  They  actually  cannot  tell 
what  teaching  is.  The  very  word  "teaching"  has  a 
vague  and  undefined  meaning  in  their  minds ;  and 
they  would  be  puzzled  to  give  it  any  fair  explana- 
tion. 

It  is,  indeed,  often  the  case,  that  our  familiarity 
with  a  word  stands  in  the  way  of  our  knowing  that 
word's  meaning.  We  are  so  accustomed  to  the 
word  itself,  and  have  freely  used  it  so  long,  that  we 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Acquaint- 
ance may 
hinder 
knowledge. 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER!. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Define 
teaching 


do  not  stop  to  consider  its  real  scope  and  limitations, 
as  we  employ  and  apply  it ;  nor  would  it  always  be 
easy  for  us  to  express  our  understanding  of  the  idea 
which  it  is  designed  to  convey.  In  many  cases, 
therefore,  there  is  a  decided  gain  in  our  putting  our- 
selves directly  at  the  task  of  settling  the  meaning  of 
a  word  which  is  on  our  lips  every  day  of  our  lives. 
"We  may  find  that  we  have  had  an  entirely  wrong 
conception  of  its  signification  and  purport;  or,  again, 
we  may  find  that  we  have  had  no  specific  conception 
of  its  signification  and  purport,  but  have  merely 
taken  it  as  the  current  designation  of  a  fact,  or  a 
thing,  with  which  we  are  in  a  general  way  familiar. 

That  "  teaching "  is  a  word  of  this  sort,  will  be 
plain  to  almost  any  one  who  gives  the  matter  a  mo- 
ment's reflection.  What  is  "  teaching"  ?  You  say 
that  you  are  a  "  teacher : "  what  do  you  mean  by 
that?  You  say  that  you  are  "  ready  to  teach "  your 
class:  what  do  you  mean  by  that?  You  say  that 
you  "  have  taught "  your  class  :  w^hat  do  you  mean 
by  that  ?  How  many  of  those  who  call  themselves, 
or  who  are  called  by  others,  "  Sunday-school  teach- 
ers," have  a  clear  idea  of  what  u  teaching  "  is, — 
Sunday-school  teaching  or  any  other  kind  of  teach- 
ing,— or,  can  define  their  understanding  of  that  term  ? 
Yet  how  can  a  person  fairly  be  called  a  teacher,  when 
he  does  not  as  yet;  know  what  teaching  is  ?  There 
would  certainly  seem  to  be  very  little  hope  of  a  man's 
success  in  any  line  of  endeavor,  so  long  as  he  is  igno- 


Counted  on  the  Rolls. 


rant  as  to  what  he  has  undertaken  to  do ;  or,  so  long 
as  he  is  in  doubt  a«  to  the  nature  of  his  undertaking. 
It  is  obviously  true  that  a  man  may  be  called  "  a 
teacher"  without  being  a  teacher.  A  superin- 
tendent may  designate  a  person  to  the  office  of 
teacher  in  the  Sunday-school,  or  the  church  authori- 
ties may  duly  designate  him  as  such,  without  his 
being  competent  to  teach.  That  makes  him  "  a 
teacher  " — by  the  record ;  but  it  does  not  make  him 
a  teacher — in  fact.  Nor  does  his  acceptance  of  the 
position  tendered  him,  make  the  selected  "  teacher  " 
a  teacher.  His  saying  that  he  is  "  a  teacher,"  no 
more  gives  him  a  fitness  to  teach,  than  does  the 
similar  saying  of  those  who  are  in  authority  over  the 
school.  "How  many  legs  does  a  calf  have,  if  you 
count  his  tail  one  ?  "  is  a  boy's  conundrum.  "  Five," 
answers  one.  "  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  says  the  other. 
"  Counting  a  calf's  tail  a  leg,  does  n't  make  it  one. 
A  calf  has  only  four  legs,  however  you  count  them." 
How  many  real  teachers  are  there  in  all  the  Sunday- 
schools  of  the  United  States,  " counting"  all  who  are 
on  the  rolls  as  teachers?  There  are  two  ways  of 
answering  that  question ;  and  the  answers  would  be 
a  long  way  apart.  Until  each  one  of  those  "  teach- 
ers "  knows  what  teaching  is,  he  is  unable  to  decide 
for  himself  whether  he  is  a  teacher  in  fact,  or  only 
"  a  teacher  "  by  the  record.  Yet  it  makes  a  vast  dif- 
ference to  a  Sunday-school,  whether  it  has  teachers 
who  fill  their  places,  or  only  teachers  who  hold  them. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  teacher 
may  be  no 
teacher. 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Poor  substi- 
tutes for 
teaching. 


As  an  evidence  of  the  prevalent  uncertainty  and 
indefiniteness  in  the  use  of  this  term,  it  may  be  well 
to  look  at  two  or  three  of  its  common  and  improper 
uses,  by  referring  to  certain  processes  which  often 
pass  for  teaching,  but  which  arc  not  teaching.  The 
considering  of  these  misuses  of  the  term,  will  pre- 
pare the  way  for  a  more  intelligent  examination  into 
its  strict  and  proper  meaning. 


Talking  to  the  Deaf. 


n. 

TELLING  IS  NOT  TEACHING. 

A  Common  Error  ;  No  Teaching  without  Learning  ;  Ignorance  of  Long- 
time Hearers;  A  Good  Teacher's  Great  Failure;  The  Pump  and 
the  Bellows  ;  What  Telling  may  do. 

ONE  of  the  commonest  mistakes  of  a  Sunday-school 
teacher-  is  in  supposing  that  telling  a  thing  to  a 
scholar  is  teaching  that  thing  to  the  scholar.  Tell- 
ing a  thing  may  be  a  part  of  the  process  of  teaching ; 
and  again  it  may  not  be ;  but  telling,  in  and  of  itself, 
never  is  teaching — it  cannot  be.  Until  a  teacher 
realizes  this  truth,he  is  not  prepared  to  be  a  teacher; 
therefore  I  would  like  to  tell  this  truth  to  all  teach- 
ers and  to  all  who  want  to  be  teachers,  although  I 
am  very  well  aware  that  merely  telling  it  in  this  way 
will  not  teach  it  to  anybody. 

If  the  scholar  is  deaf,  and  you  tell  him  a  truth  by 
word  of  mouth,  with  your  head  down  so  that  he 
cannot  see  the  movement  of  your  lips,  it  is  very  clear 
that  you  have  not  taught  him  what  you  have  told 
him.  If  he  has  ears,  but  they  are  intent  on  some- 
thing else  than  your  words  while  you  are  talking  to 
him ;  or,  if  you  talk  in  a  language  which  he  does  not 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


closed  ears. 


10 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


No  teaching 

without 

learning. 


If  only  tell- 
ing would 
teach ! 


understand, — it  is  equally  clear  that  your  telling  is 
not  teaching,  so  far  as  he  is  concerned.  Thus  far  all 
will  agree;  but  the  principle  involved  has  a  pro- 
founder  reach  than  this.  No  person  learns  at  once 
everything  that  is  told  to  him;  and  no  person  is 
taught  until  he  learns ;  nor  more  than  he  learns.  To 
tell  a  child  for  the  first  time  all  the  letters  of  the 
alphabet  does  not  teach  him  his  alphabet.  To  tell  a 
scholar  all  the  rules  of  grammar  or  of  arithmetic,  all 
the  boundaries  of  all  the  states  of  the  Union,  or  all 
the  principles  of  natural  or  moral  philosophy,  does 
not,  by  any  means,  teach  him  all  those  things. 
Teaching  would  be  a  very  simple  matter,  if  telling 
were  teaching ;  but  no  one  thinks  of  counting  the 
two  processes  identical — except  in  the  sphere  of 
purely  religious  truth ;  as  in  the  church  and  Sunday- 
school. 

Who  would  think  of  teaching  an  apprentice  to 
shoe  a  horse,  or  to  set  type,  or  to  make  a  watch,  by 
simply  telling  him  how  ?  Who  would  expect  artists, 
or  authors,  or  soldiers,  to  be  taught  in  their  profession 
by  the  mere  telling  of  their  duties  ?  If  men  and 
women  knew  all  the  valuable  truths  which  have  been 
told  them,  from  the  lecture  platform,  in  social  con- 
verse, and  by  direct  personal  instruction,  how  wise  the 
world  would  be !  If  children  had  been  taught  all 
the  good  things  that  have  been  told  to  them  at  home 
and  elsewhere,  how  much  more  they  would  know 
than  their  parents — who  have  not  always  been  taught 


An  Ignorant  Hearer. 


11 


by  simply  being  told !  And  what  learned  congrega- 
tions we  should  have,  if  all  that  some  of  these  wise 
and  venerable  preachers  have  told  their  people,  had 
been  learned  by  their  people !  That  telling  has  not 
been  teaching  in  every  case,  all  will  see  at  a  glance, 
whether  they  are  ready  or  not  to  agree  that  telling  is 
never  teaching,  nor  ever  can  be. 

How  common  it  is  for  a  preacher  who  has  been 
faithful  in  proclaiming  the  truth  from  the  pulpit,  to 
bemoan  the  fact  that  persons  who  have  safrunder  his 
preaching  for  years  are  found  to  be  in  woful  igno- 
rance on  points  which  he  has  pressed  most  plainly  and 
earnestly,  until  it  seemed  to  him  that  every  hearer 
must  understand  them  perfectly!  A  preacher  of 
rare  ability  and  of  rare  faithfulness,  who  was  a  pupil 
of  Dr.  Thomas  Chalmers,  and  who  remained  the 
pastor  of  a  single  I$QW  England  church  during  the 
period  of  nearly  a  full  generation,  gave  me  this  testi- 
mony :  "  There  was  in  my  congregation  a  woman 
of  more  than  average  intelligence,  who  seemed  to 
me  one  of  rny  most  interested  hearers,  as,  for  years,  she 
was  one  of  the  most  regular  attendants  at  our  church 
services.  I  was  often  encouraged  by  her  attentive 
and  responsive  appearance  as  I  preached,  although 
she  was  not  a  member  of  the  church.  But  by  and 
by  she  fell  sick,  and  I  visited  her  to  press  home  the 
subject  of  her  personal  needs  and  duty  as  a  sinner. 
To  my  amazement,  I  found  her  hardly  less  ignorant 
of  the  great  fundamental  truths  of  the  gospel  than 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER l . 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Ignorance  of 
many  good 
listeners. 


12 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER!. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Hearing  all 
and  learning 
nothing. 


Teachers  and 
preachers. 


if  she  had  been  brought  up  in  a  heathen  land.  I  tell 
you,  that  as  I  stood  by  her  bedside  trying  to  make 
plain  to  her,  in  that  late  hour  of  her  probation,  those 
simple  truths  which  I  had  repeated  to  her  from  the 
pulpit  over  and  over  again,  and  which  I  had  sup- 
posed she  knew  all  about,  I  had  a  new  sense  of  the 
fact,  that  to  say  a  thing  explicitly  and  repeatedly  is 
not  necessarily  to  make  that  thing  the  possession 
of  those  who  hear  it."  .Or,  in  other  words,  that 
preacher  had  then  and  there  found  out,  what  many 
a  preacher  before  and  since  has  discovered,  and  what 
many  another,  unfortunately,  has  not  yet  perceived — 
that  telling  a  thing  is  not  teaching  that  thing. 

BTor  is  it  merely  because  the  preacher  stands  off 
at  a  distance,  and  talks  to  the  whole  congregation 
instead  of  to  a  single  individual,  that  his  telling  is, 
in  itself,  no  teaching.  A  teacher's  talk  is  no  more 
teaching,  than  is  a  preacher's  talk.  A  scholar  may 
be  as  ignorant  of  the  truths  which  his  teacher  has 
repeated  to  him  plainly,  and  pressed  home  on  him 
individually,  many  times  over,  as  was  ever  a  passive 
listener  in  the  congregation  to  a  preacher's  words 
from  the  pulpit.  I,  certainly,  can  testify,  out  of  my 
personal  experience,  that  one  of  the  godliest  and 
most  learned  men  who  ever  occupied  a  place  as  a 
Sunday-school  teacher  was  a  marked  illustration  of 
failure  just  at  this  point.  That  man  was  a  distin- 
guished jurist;  one  whose  praise  was  in  all  the 
churches — and  whose  memoir  is  in  the  Sunday- 


The  Passive  Bucket. 


13 


school  libraries.  He  prepared  himself  most  elabo- 
rately on  his  lesson.  He  came  to  the  class  with  full 
notes.  He  talked  wisely,  plainly,  directly,  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  the  lesson-hour — although 
commonly  with  his  eyes  closed,  and  always  without 
asking  any  questions.  He  taught  much  by  his 
punctuality,  and  his  fidelity,  and  his  Christ-like 
spirit — in  their  admirable  example.  He  was  loved 
and  honored  by  his  class  ;  and  he  is  remembered  by 
his  scholars  gratefully.  '  But  if  he  ever  taught  a 
single  truth  by  his  telling  it  in  that  class, — here,  in 
my  case,  is  one  scholar  who  is  not  aware  of  it.  I  do 
not  recall  a  single  fact,  a  single  precept,  a  single 
doctrine,  taught  directly  by  the  words  of  that  Sun- 
day-school teacher.  Nor  is  this  a  solitary  or  an  ex- 
treme case  in  illustration  of  the  fact  that  telling  a 
thing  in  a  Sunday-school  class  is  not  teaching  that 
thing. 

The  wisest  preachers  and  teachers  have  recognized 
this  truth,  even  though  it  has,  by  no  means,  found 
general  acceptance  as  yet.  "  Nothing  is  more  ab- 
surd," says  an  eminent  English  teacher,  "  than  the 
common  notion  of  instruction,  as  if  science  were  to 
be  poured  into  the  mind,  like  water  into  a  cistern." 
It  is  as  if  in  comment  on  this  figure,  that  Thomas 
Carlyle  has  said :  "  To  sit  as  a  passive  bucket,  and  be 
pumped  into,  can  in  the  long  run  be  exhilarating  to 
no  creature,  how  eloquent  soever  the  flood  of  utter- 
ance that  is  descending."  So  brilliant  and  witty  a 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  good 
teacher  who 
talked  with- 
out teaching. 


The  passive 
bucket  and 
the  pump. 


14 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 
The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CH  AFTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Pharaoh's 
lean  kine. 


The  Sunday- 
school 
bellows. 


A  poor 

preaching 

service. 


preacher  as  Dr.  Robert  South  put  the  same  truth, 
although  by  a  different  figure,  two  centuries  ago, 
when  he  described  preaching  to  passive  hearers  as 
"  a  kind  of  spiritual  diet  upon  which  people  are 
always  feeding,  but  never  full;  and  many  poor  souls, 
God  knows  too,  too  like  Pharaoh's  lean  kine,  much 
the  leaner  for  their  full  feed."  And  of  the  teaching, 
or  training,  process  aimed  at  in  the  church,  he  adds  : 
"  To  expect  that  this  should  be  done  by  preaching  or 
force  of  lungs,  is  much  as  if  a  smith  or  artist,  who  works 
in  metal,  should  expect  to  form  and  shape  out  his 
work  only  with  his  bellows."  Yet,  how  large  a 
place  the  bellows  tills  at  the  modern  Sunday-school 
forge  ! 

A  vast  deal  of  what  is  called  "  Bible-class  teach- 
ing "  is  talking,  but  not  teaching.  It  might  pass  for 
fourth-rate,  or  third-rate,  or  second-rate,  or — at  the 
very  best  and  rarest— as  first-rate  preaching,  or  lec- 
turing ;  but  it  never  ought  to  be  called  teaching. 
The  teacher  talks;  the  scholars  listen.  The  teacher 
is,  doubtless,  a  gainer  in  his  mind  and  heart  by  what 
he  says ;  but  not  so  his  silent  scholars.  They  hear,  but 
do  not  learn.  The  "  exercise  "  is  an  exercise  only  to 
the  exerciser.  The  whole  thing  is  a  pocket-edition, 
in  poor  type,  of  a  pulpit-led  service,  with  many  of  the 
disadvantages  and  few  of  the  benefits  of  the  large- 
page  edition.  And  not  a  little  of  the  ordinary 
class-teaching  in  the  Sunday-school  is  of  the  same 
character.  The  teacher  talks;  the  scholars  listen. 


Telling  has  its  Place. 


15 


There  is  a  "  teacher,"  but  no  teaching. 


There  are 

"learners,"  but  no  learning.  It  is  not  a  pleasant 
thing  to  face  such  a  fact  as  this  ;  but  since  it  is  a  fact, 
it  ought  to  be  faced  by  those  interested. 

Telling  a  thing  may  be  an  important  part  of  the 
process  of  teaching  a  thing.  The  telling  may  in 
itself  interest  or  impress  even  where  it  fails  to  in- 
struct. A  teacher  may  teach  in  other  ways  than  by 
his  telling  truths  that  are  worthy  of  his  scholars' 
hearing  and  learning.  However  this  may  be,  it  is 
important  that  every  teacher  should  understand,  at 
the  first  and  at  the  last,  that  telling  a  thing  is  not  in 
itself  teaching  a  thing ;  and  that,  if  he  is  a  teacher  a*t 
all,  it  will  be  through  the  use  of  some  other  method 
than  mere  talking. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  telling 
may  do. 


16 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  clear 

distinction. 


m. 

HEARING  A  RECITATION  IS  NOT  TEACHING. 

Hearing  is  not  Teaching;  Reciting  is  not  Learning;  Rote-questions 
briny  Rote-answers;  Buying  Books  does  not  Bring  Knowledge; 
Blind  Alec  of  Stirling  ;  Parrot  Mathematicians  ;  What  Memorizing 
cannot  do. 

*  ANOTHER  common  mistake  of  the  Sunday-school 
teacher,  is  in  supposing  that  hearing  a  recitation  is 
teaching;  nor  is  that  error,  by  any  means,  confined 
to  the  Sunday-school.  Recitation  may,  it  is  true, 
have  an  important  part  in  the  process  of  teaching. 
It  may  in  itself  advantage  the  scholar,  and  the 
teacher  may  have  a  duty  of  listening  to  it;  but  the 
hearing  of  a  recitation  is  not  in  itself  teaching ;  nor 
is  it  always  an  essential  in  the  teaching  process.  As 
Professor  Hart  states  it:  "  A  child  recites  lessons 
when  it  repeats  something  previously  learned.  A 
child  is  taught  when  it  learns  something  from  the 
teacher  not  known  before.  The  two  things  often, 
indeed,  go  together,  but  they  are  in  themselves  essen- 
tially distinct." 

If  merely  hearing  scholars  recite  were  in  itself 
teaching,   then  all   who   are  in   the   neighborhood 


Parrot  Recitations. 


17 


of  an'  Oriental  school  would  be  teachers ;  for  the 
scholars  in  the  Easfc  study  aloud,  and  all  recite  to- 
gether, and  their  recitations  can  be  heard  by  the 
passers-by,  and  sometimes  by  all  the  dwellers  within 
half  a  street's  length.  Not  even  the  Orientals,  how- 
ever, would  claim  that  their  hearing  the  clatter  of 
these  recitations  made  teachers  of  them.  Nor  would 
it  be  teaching,  if  one,  hearing  the  recitation,  should 
hold  the  book  of  the  learner  in  his  hand,  observing 
the  correspondence  of  the  words  recited  with  those 
recorded.  A  fellow-pupil  could  do  that,  without 
becoming  thereby  a  teacher. 

There  is  an  immense  deal  of  mere  rote  recitation 
by  scholars,  younger  and  older.  Scholars  fasten  in 
their  memory  words  to  which  they  attach  no  mean- 
ing— or  a  wrong  meaning;  and  these  memorized 
words,  or  sounds  of  words,  they  rattle  off  upon  call, 
without  having  any  correct  or  well-defined  idea  of 
their  signification.  Under  these  circumstances,  who 
would  claim  that  these  scholars  are  taught  anything, 
or  that  their  knowledge  is  tested,  by  reciting  what 
they  have  memorized — even  to  an  exceptionally 
skilled  and  intelligent  teacher?  A  lady  told  me, 
that  for  years,  while  a  child,  she  recited  the  first 
answer  in  the  Westminster  Catechism  as  u  Mansche- 
fand  is  to  glorify  God  and  to  joy  him  forever." 
What  that  word  if  manschefand  "  meant,  she  did  not 
understand,  nor  was  she  taught  either  the  word  or 
its  meaning  by  reciting  it  to  a  "  teacher."  She  had 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Hearing  is 
not  teaching. 


Rote  recita- 
tions. 


What  is 
"  Mansche- 
fand"? 


18 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 
Nature  of  the 

Teaching 
Process. 


Lord  Byron's 
beginning. 


memorized  the  answer  by  having  it  told  to  her 
before  she  could  read,  and  its  repeated  recitation 
gave  no  help  to  its  understanding.  Similar  failures 
to  understand  words  in  the  catechism,  or  the  ques- 
tion-book, or  to  get  any  help  in  their  understanding 
through  their  mere  recitation,  could  be  instanced  by 
parents  and  teachers  on  every  side. 

Even  where  the  scholar  understands  the  meaning 
of  the  words  memorized  by  him,  it  may  be  only  a 
rote-recitation  that  he  gives  to  a  teacher.  An  Eng- 
lish educationalist  has  cited,  in  illustration  of  the 
frequent  senselessness  of  rote-recitations,  an  incident 
from  the  life  of  Lord  Byron.  Referring  to  a  school 
where  he  was  a  pupil  at  five  years  of  age,  Byron 
said :  "I  learned  little  there  except  to  repeat  by 
rote  the  first  lesson  of  monosyllables,  4  God  made 
man,  let  us  love  him,'  etc.,  by  hearing  it  often  re- 
peated, without  [my]  acquiring  a  letter.  Whenever 
proof  was  made  [or  was  asked]  of  my  progress,  at 
home,  I  repeated  these  words,  with  the  most  rapid 
fluency;  but,  on  turning  over  a  new  leaf,  I  continued 
to  repeat  them,  so  that  the  narrow  boundaries  of  my 
first  year's  accomplishments  were  detected,  my  ears 
boxed  (which  they  did  not  deserve,  seeing  that  it 
was  by  ear  only  that  I  had  acquired  my  letters),  and 
my  intellects  consigned  to  a  new  preceptor."  And 
a  similar  shortcoming  might  be  found  in  the  work  of 
a  scholar  who  could  read  intelligently,  and  who  had 
memorized  faithfully,  but  whose  teacher  had  mis- 


An  Unlooked-for  Journey. 


19 


taken  the  hearing  of  a  recitation  for  teaching.  His 
answer  may  have  no  proper  relation  to  the  question 
asked  of  him.  Another  question  would  have  brought 
the  same  answer,  and  the  same  question  given  a 
second  time  would  bring  another  answer.  His 
memorizing  has  been  of  the  words  of  the  answer, 
without  any  thought  of  the  words  of  the  question  to 
which  they  were  designed  as  an  answer. 

This  truth  was  forced  on  my  mind  in  my  earliest 
teaching  experience.  While  yet  but  seventeen,  I  had 
a  class  in  the  Sunday-school,  of  wide-awake  boys, 
keen  enough  in  matters  of  thought  and  action,  but 
naturally  conforming  to  the  methods  of  study  which 
met  their  teacher's  idea  of  teaching.  The  book 
used  in  that  class  was  one  in  which  every  answer 
was  printed  out  in  full,  just  below  its  question.  The 
ordinary  practice  of  the  scholar  was  to  fasten  the 
answers  in  memory;  and  the  ordinary  practice  of 
the  teacher  was  to  ask  the  questions  in  the  words 
of  the  book,  and  hear  the  scholars  recite  the  answer. 
Now  for  the  working  of  that  plan !  One  Sunday, 
the  lesson  for  the  day  was  The  Walk  to  Emmaus. 
The  first  question  on  the  page  was  "  Where  is  Em- 
maus ? "  As  I  took  my  book  in  hand  for  the  "  teach- 
ing exercise,"  I  recalled  that  the  scholar  at  my  right 
hand  was  a  boy  who  had  been  absent  the  previous 
Sunday.  Accordingly  I  asked  in  kindly  interest, 
"  Where  were  you  last  Sunday,  Joseph  ?  "  Quick 
as  a  Hash  the  answer  came  back,  "  Seven  and  a  half 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  teacher 
taught. 


Ihe  scholar 
at  Emmaus 


20 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Many  books, 
but  no 
knowledge. 


miles  north-west  of  Jerusalem."  "  Well,  you  are 
certainly  excusable  for  not  being  here"  was  my  mor- 
tified response;  for  then,  for  the  first  time,  I  realized 
that  that  scholar  might  as  well  have  been  north-west 
of  Jerusalem  or  south-east  of  Timbuctoo,  for  all  the 
good  he  gained  from  a  class  where  hearing  a  recita- 
tion had  been  looked  at  as  teaching.  That  was  a 
long  while  ago :  it  would  be  pleasant  to  believe  that 
no  illustration  of  this  error  in  the  teacher's  work 
could  be  found  in  these  days  of  improved  Sunday- 
school  methods  and  normal-class  instructions. 

The  memorizing  of  words  is  in  itself  no  more  the 
securing  of  ideas,  than  is  the  buying  of  books  the 
securing  of  knowledge.  A  man  may  have  his  li- 
brary shelves  stored  with  the  most  choice  and  valu- 
able works  in  every  department  of  literature,  science, 
and  the  arts,  and  yet  be  ignorant,  not  only  of  the 
knowledge  covered  by  any  one  of  those  volumes,  but 
also  of  the  advantage  which  would  come  from  the 
possession  of  such  knowledge.  Nor  would  his  knowl- 
edge be  increased  in  the  slightest  degree,  if  he  had 
ten  such  libraries  instead  of  one.  So,  also,  a  child 
may  have  fully  memorized  all  the  answers  in  his 
catechism,  or  his  question  book,  including  the 
choicer  words  of  Scripture,  without  having  received 
a  single  idea  covered  by  those  words ;  nor  would  any 
multiplication  of  similar  words  in  his  memory  neces- 
sarily convey  an  added  idea  to  his  mental  posses- 
sions. This  is  obviously  true  where  the  words  are 


The  Blind  Led  Blindly. 


21 


in  another  language  than  the  pupil's  own.  It  is 
equally  true  where  the  words  are  in  the  pupil's  lan- 
guage, but  utterly  beyond  his  comprehension.  It  is 
none  the  less  a  truth  in  any  case ;  for  the  receiving 
of  ideas  is  quite  another  matter  from  the  fastening 
of  mere  words  in  the  memory  :  the  two  processes 
may  go  on  at  the  same  time,  and  again  they  may 
not ;  but  in  no  case  are  they  identical. 

That  this  truth  is  as  true  practically  as  it  is  philo- 
sophically, has  been  shown  by  experiment  many 
times  over;  and  its  truth  finds  fresh  illustration 
under  the  eye  of  every  intelligent  and  observing 
parent  or  teacher.  A  notable  and  well-authenticated 
case  of  its  testing,  is  that  of  "  Blind  Alec  "  of  Stir- 
ling, in  Scotland,  as  recorded  in  all  its  details  in  Mr. 
James  Gall's  "Nature's  Normal  School."  This 
was  more  than  fifty  years  ago.  Alexander  Lyons,  or 
"  Blind  Alec"  as  he  was  called,  was  a  man  of  mature 
years  and  of  average  intelligence.  He  had  actually 
committed  to  memory  the  words  of  the  entire.  Bible. 
"  Any  sentence,  or  clause  of  a  sentence,  from  Scrip- 
ture, \vhich  another  began,  he  could  not  only  finish, 
but  tell  the  particular  verse  in  the  Bible  where  it 
was  to  be  found ;  and,  what  was  still  more  remark- 
able, the  number  of  any  verse  in  any  chapter  and 
book  being  given,  he  was  able  immediately  to  re- 
peat" the  verse.  Moreover,  he  had  for  years  been 
in  the  daily  habit  of  recalling  and  reciting  passages 
of  Scripture  thus  memorized.  This  man,  thus  sup- 


PART!. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Blind  Alec's 

blind 

memorizing. 


22 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Tea-'hiug 

Process. 


Knowing  the 
words  is  not 
knowing 
their  sense. 


Parrot  recita- 
tions in 
geometry. 


plied  with  Bible  words,  was  thoroughly  tested,  not 
only  by  Mr.  Gall,  but  by  the  more  intelligent  citi- 
zens of  Stirling,  lay  and  clerical,  at  a  public  meeting, 
called  for  the  express  purpose  of  ascertaining  his 
knowledge  of  the  truths  clearly  covered  by  the  words 
in  his  memory.  He  was  first  questioned  in  the  facts 
of  English  history,  which  he  had  been  taught  by  the 
conveying  to  him  of  its  ideas  rather  than  by  any  set 
form  of  words  covering  those  ideas;  and  he  was 
found  intelligently  familiar  with  its  truths  in  the  field 
he  had  traversed.  But  in  not  a  single  instance  could 
he  quote  a  Bible  text  in  explanation,  in  proof,  or  in 
enforcement,  of  the  simplest  doctrine  or  duty.  The 
conclusion  was  irresistible,  in  his  case,  that  by  all  his 
Bible  word-memorizing,  in  his  early  life  and  in  his 
later,  he  had  never,  at  the  first  or  afterward,  acquired 
a  single  Bible  idea,  that  u  there  was  in  Alec's  mind 
no  connection  between  the  truths  or  duties  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  the  words  which  taught  them."  Nor  has 
it,  so  far,  been  different  with  any  other  person  than 
"  Blind  Alec  "  from  that  day  to  this ;  for  the  mere 
memorizing  of  words  is  never,  in  itself,  the  gaining 
of  ideas. 

"  There  is  a  well-authenticated  instance  of  a  stu- 
dent who  actually  learned  the  six  books  of  Euclid 
by  heart,  though  he  could  not  tell  the  difference 
between  an  angle  and  a  triangle."  A  Scotch  friend 
tells  me  of  a  fellow-student  of  his,  who  was  accus- 
tomed to  memorize  the  demonstrations  from  Euclid 


Supplied,  but  not  Informed. 


for  his  lessons,  day  by  day,  without  any  understand- 
ing of  their  meaning,  and  who  would  rattle  them 
off  as  if  in  explanation  of  the  diagram  on  the  black- 
board in  the  recitation  room.  His  comrades  would 
sometimes  mischievously  change  the  lettering  on  the 
diagrams  before  his  recitation  hour;  and  then  he 
would  push  ahead  with  his  memorized  demonstra- 
tion, pointing  out  the  alphabetical  signs  as  he  named 
them,  in  utter  ignorance  of  the  mathematical  absur- 
dities he  was  insisting  on.  Thus  he  furnished  to  his 
teacher  a  good  illustration  of  the  fact  that  hearing  a 
recitation  is  not  teaching,  and  that  there  is  no  neces- 
sary connection  between  memorizing  and  learning. 

Let  me  not  be  misunderstood  just  here.  I  am  not 
claiming  that  no  gain  is  possible  from  storing  words 
in  the  memory,  any  more  than  I  am  claiming  that 
no  gain  is  possible  from  buying  books  for  one's 
library,  or  from  having  one's  library  shelves  stored 
with  volumes  in  every  department  of  knowledge.  I 
am  claiming,  however,  that  neither  the  buying  of 
books  nor  the  memorizing  of  words  and  sentences 
is  in  itself  the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  At  the 
best,  in  either  case,  this  is  only  the  gathering  of  the 
materials  of  knowledge,  or  of  instruments  for  its 
acquisition.  And  since  memorizing  words  is  not  in 
itself  knowledge,  it  can  no  more  be  made  knowledge 
through  the  recitation  of  those  words,  than  the  pos- 
session of  books  can  be  made  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge  through  their  cataloguing.  Memorizing 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process . 


Having  a 
library  is  not 
having 
knowledge. 


24 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  possible 
gains  of 
memorizing. 


It  may  be 
memorizing 
that  you 
want. 


words  has  an  important  place  in  a  pupil's  life.  In 
secular  school  training  there  are  rules 'and  tables 
and  lists  that  can  profitably  be  fastened  in  the 
scholar's  memory  by  rote,  for  convenience  of  future 
reference.  In  the  Sunday-school,  and  in  home  reli- 
gious training,  there  should  be  a  wise  measure  of 
memorizing,  by  the  scholar,  of  the  very  words  them- 
selves, of  Bible  passages,  of  hymns,  and  of  accurate 
statements  of  important  doctrine.  But,  whatever 
place  or  prominence  is  given  to  such  memorizing, 
let  not  the  mistake  be  made  of  supposing  that  the 
mere  memorizing  of  these  words  in  itself  gives  the 
scholar  the  possession  of  the  idea  covered  by  them. 
That  idea  could  be  conveyed  without  such  memoriz- 
ing. It  may  be  conveyed  in  connection  with  such 
memorizing.  Again,  such  memorizing  may  be  in 
connection  with  the  wrong  idea,  or  with  no  idea  at 
all.  Under  no  circumstances,  however,  nor  in  any 
instance,  will  the  memorizing  of  the  w,ords  and  the 
reception  of  the  idea  be  one  and  the  same  thing. 
That  cannot  be.  Nor  can  the  wisest  teacher  in  the 
world  make  the  two  things  one,  by  simply  hearing 
the  recitation  of  what  has  been  memorized. 

If  you  think  that  the  memorizing  of  words  is  the 
great  thing  in  your  scholar's  preparation  for  the 
"  class  exercise,"  by  all  means  insist  upon  it.  If 
you  want  to  ascertain  how  much  and  how  accurately 
he  has  memorized,  hear  him  recite  the  words  he  has 
committed  to  memory.  If  particular  questions  upon 


Grindstone  Exercises. 


25 


the  lesson  have  been  given  him,  to  which  he  is  to 
find  answers,  and  you  desire  to  know  whether  he 
has  found  the  precise  answers  to  those  specific  ques- 
tions, then  ask  him  those  questions  and  hear  him 
give  the  answers.  If  this  is  your  idea  of  a  "  class 
exercise,"  the  way  to  secure  it  is  as  simple  as  turn- 
ing a  grindstone  crank.  This  may  be  all  that  you 
deem  essential  in  a  teacher's  work;  but  how- 
ever desirable  and  important  it  may  be,  it  cannot 
be  called  teaching ;  nor  would  it  be  teaching  if  it 
were  called  so.  It  is  hearing  a  recitation ;  but  hear- 
ing a  recitation  is  not  in  itself  teaching,  nor  ought  it 
to  pass  for  teaching. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  class 
exercise. 


2G 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

P/ocess. 


"  Teaching' 
in  the  dic- 
tionaries. 


IV. 
WHAT  TEACHING  IS. 

Showing  Errors  is  not  Showing  the  Truth ;  Indefiniteness  of  the  Defini- 
tions; The  Essence  of  All  Teaching;  Teaching  Includes  Learning ; 
Other  Meanings  for  Teaching,  than  Teaching  ;  Two  Persons  Needed 
to  make  One  Teacher;  A  Teacher's  Other  Work  than  Teaching. 

IT  is  evident,  however,  that  the  definition  of 
u  teaching  "  is  not  to  be  arrived  at  by  merely  show- 
ing that  certain  processes  which  too  often  pass  for 
the  teaching-process  are  by  no  means  entitled  to 
that  designation.  It  is  not  enough  to  indicate  what 
is  not  teaching ;  the  inquirer  is  still  left  in  doubt 
as  to  what  teaching  is.  It  being  shown  that  "  tell- 
ing is  not  teaching,"  and  that  "  hearing  a  recitation 
is  not  teaching,"  the  question  recurs  with  added 
force  and  importance,  What  is  teaching  ? 

Nor  is  it  easy  for  the  inquirer  to  obtain  a  clear 
and  competent  understanding  of  the  term  "  teach- 
ing." The  dictionaries  will  give  him  little  aid  on 
this  point.  Their  definitions  are  varied,  vague,  and 
unsatisfactory.  If  he  turns  to  the  technical  treatises 
and  manuals  on  the  subject,  he  will  not  be  likely  to 
gain  a  much  clearer  impression  of  the  scope  and 


Vagueness  of  Terms. 


27 


purport  of  the  term.  Out  of  an  extensive  study  of 
the  literature  of  teaching,  for  now  more  than  twenty 
years,  I  can  say  with  positiveness  that,  from  the 
days  of  Roger  Ascham  down  to  the  latest  European 
and  American  educational  writers,  hardly  one  writer 
in  fifty  has  even  attempted  to  tell  his  readers 
what  he  means  by  the  term  "  teaching,"  or  to  indi- 
cate the  precise  nature  and  limits  of  the  teaching- 
process  as  he  understands  that  process.  Commonly, 
indeed,  the  term  "  teaching  "  is  employed  by  such 
writers  as  though  its  meaning  were  well  understood; 
yet,  in  many  cases,  their  own  uses  of  it,  at  different 
times  and  in  different  connections,  would  go  to 
show  their  own  lack  of  a  well-defined  meaning  at- 
tached to  it,  which  should  sharply  distinguish  it 
from  "  educating,"  "training,"  "giving  informa- 
tion," "exhibiting  impressively,"  "instructing," "in- 
culcating," and  other  terms  variously  used  as  indi- 
cative of  educational  prpcesses.  In  hardly  more 
than  half  a  dozen  instances  have  I  found  an  educa- 
tional writer  attempting  to  explain  his  understand- 
ing of  this  term  "  teaching,"  on  which  pivoted  all 
the  value  of  the  instruction  and  guidance  he  essayed 
to  give  to  his  readers.  It  is,  therefore,  by  no  means 
a  needless  task  for  us  to  seek  an  intelligent  under- 
standing of  the  nature  and  elements  of  the  teaching- 
process,  as  preliminary  to  an  inquiry  into  its  wise 
methods. 

Jacotot  claimed,  that  "  to  teach  is  to  cause  to  learn." 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Indefinite 
definings. 


28 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Teaching  is 
causing  to 
know. 


Teaching 

meant 

learning. 


Professor  Hart  improved  on  this  definition  by  claiming, 
that"  teaching  is  causing  another  to  know."  Probably 
10  more  simple  or  accurate  definitions  than  these  two 
bave  ever  been  suggested.  They  certainly  indicate  the 
essence  of  true  teaching.  Teaching  involves  the  idea 
of  knowledge  obtained  by  a  process.  One  may,  in- 
deed, teach  himself,  may  be  his  own  teacher,  through 
reaching  out  after  knowledge  by  an  intelligently 
directed  effort ;  but  no  one  can  teach — and  to  that 
extent  be  a  teacher  of — either  himself  or  another, 
without  the  obtaining  of  knowledge  by  the  person 
taught.  Teaching,  in  fact,  includes  the  idea  of  learn- 
ing, not  as  its  correlative  term,  but  as  one  of  its  con- 
stituent parts.  There  can  really  be  no  such  thing 
as  teaching  without  learning ;  the  process  of  learn- 
ng  must  accompany  the  process  of  teaching,  and 
must  keep  pace  with  it.  Just  to  the  extent  of  the 
learning  on  the  one  part,  is  there  the  teaching  on 
the  other  part.  If  the  learning-process  halts,  so 
baits  the  teaching-process.  If  the  learning-process 
ends,  the  teaching-process  has  ended. 

Originally,  in  our  English  language,  as  in  accord- 
ance with  the  analogy  of  other  European  languages, 
the  word  "  learn  "  was  used  in  the  twofold  sense  of 
teaching  and  learning ;  one  could  learn  by  himself, 
or  he  could  learn  another — could  cause  another  to 
learn.  Thus,  the  poet  Drayton  makes  a  royal  guide 
tell  of  the  instructed  king : 

"  Who,  till  I  learned  him,  had  not  known  his  might." 


Teaching  Includes  Learning. 


And  Shakespeare's  queen,  in  Cymbeline,  asks  of  her 
court  physician : 

..."  Have  I  not  been 

Thy  pupil  long  ?     Hast  thou  not  learn'd  me  how 
To  make  perfumes?  distil?  preserve?" 

In  the  natural  progress  of  language,  there  came  to 
be  a  subdivision  of  the  twofold  idea  of  the  word 
"learn;  "  and  the  distinction  between  the  objective 
and  the  subjective  phases  of  the  learning-process  was 
indicated  by  the  use  of  the  term  "  teaching  "  for  the 
one,  and  "learning"  for  the  other.  K~ow,  therefore, 
"teaching"  is  that  part  of  the  twofold  learning-pro- 
cess by  which  knowledge  which  is  yet  outside  of  the 
learner's  mind  is  directed  toward  that  mind;  and 
"  learning  "  is  that  part  of  the  same  twofold  process 
by  which  the  knowledge  taught  is  made  the  learner's 
own.  Still,  as  before,  however,  there  can  be  no 
teacher  where  there  is  not  a  learner ;  although,  on 
the  other  hand,  there  may  be  a  learner  where  there 
is  no  one  else  than  himself  to  be  his  teacher.  If 
this  truth  be  borne  clearly  in  mind,  there  is  a  decided 
gain  in  the  verbal  distinction  of  the  two  component 
parts  of  the  learning-process,  as  made  by  our  modern 
use  of  the  words  "  teaching  "  and  "  learning ;  "  but 
if  this  distinction  should  lead  us  to  suppose  that 
there  can  be  any  teaching  where  there  is  no  cor- 
responding learning ;  that  it  is  possible,  in  fact,  for 
one  to  teach  while  no  one  learns ; — then  indeed  it 
would  be  far  better  for  us  to  go  back  to  the  old 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER!. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  relation 
of  teaching 
to  learning. 


30 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 


Other  uses  of 
the  term 
"  teaching." 


What  we 
mean  by 
Sunday- 
school 
teaching. 


terminology,  and  to  insist  in  very  phrase  that  no  one 
is  taught  until  he  has  learned,  and  that  no  one 
teaches  another  until  the  other  learns ;  that,  in  short, 
teaching  another  is  ever  and  always  learning  another, 
causing  another  to  learn. 

It  is,  of  course,  not  to  be  denied,  that  the  term 
"  teaching  "  is  often  fairly  employed  in  other  senses 
than  a  technical  one.  Thus,  we  speak  of  the  teach- 
ing of  our  example ;  of  our  teaching  others  by  the 
spirit  which  we  manifest,  or  by  the  conduct  which 
we  display ;  of  our  causing  others  to  know,  from 
what  they  see  in  us,  that  our  way  is  desirable,  or 
that  it  is  undesirable ;  of  our  thus  leading  them  in 
the  path  we  pursue,  or  impelling  them  toward 
another  path  than  that.  To  teaching  of  this  kind, 
all  of  us  are  given,  at  all  times.  In  this  sense,  we 
all  are  teachers,  always.  We  are  continually  caus- 
ing those  about  us  to  know  the  better  way,  or  the 
worse.  But  it  is  not  of  this  kind  of  teaching  that 
we  speak,  when  we  say  that  we  are  Sunday-school 
teachers;  that  we  are  engaged  in  Sunday-school 
teaching;  that  we  expect  to  teach  our  class  next 
Sunday;  or,  that  we  taught  our  class  last  Sunday. 
We  have  in  mind,  in  such  phrases,  an  active  and 
purposeful  service,  rather  than  that  unconscious 
teaching  of  ours  which  is  inevitable,  whether  we  de- 
sire it  or  not.  It  is  the  causing  another  to  know 
that  which  we  know,  and  which  he  does  not ;  that 
which  we  want  him  to  know,  and  which  we  seek  to 


A  Scholar's  Help  Essential. 


31 


have  him  know, — which  is  "  teaching  "  in  its  tech- 
nical sense;  teaching  in  the  sense  in  which  we  use 
the  term,  when  we  say  that  we  have  been  teaching  a 
particular  lesson  to  a  particular  scholar  or  class.  In 
this  sense,  "  teaching  "  obviously  involves  the  three- 
fold idea  of  a  teacher,  a  lesson,  and  a  learner ;  it  in- 
volves knowledge  on  the  teacher's  part,  and,  at  the 
start,  the  lack  of  it  on  the  part  of  the  scholar;  also, 
an  actual  transfer  of  that  knowledge  from  the 
teacher's  mind  to  the  scholar's,  before  the  teaching- 
process  is  concluded.  Hence,  to  say  that  you  have 
"  taught  a  lesson,"  includes  the  idea  that  some  one 
has  learned  that  lesson ;  for  unless  there  is  learning 
by  a  learner  there  can  be  no  teaching  by  a  teacher; 
and  until  the  teacher  has  caused  a  learner  to  know 
a  lesson,  or  a  truth,  the  teacher  has  only  been  trying 
to  teach — so  far  without  success. 

Intelligent,  purposeful  teaching  includes  the  idea 
of  two  persons,  both  of  them  active.  Nor  is  it- 
enough  that  there  be  two  persons,  both  of  them 
active ;  both  active  over  the  same  lesson.  This  may 
be  secured  by  hearing  a  recitation,  and  commenting 
on  it;  but  that  is  not,  necessarily,  teaching.  The 
scholar,  in  such  a  case,  may  be  merely  exercising 
his  memory,  reciting  what  he  has  memorized  ver- 
bally without  understanding  a  word  of  it;  he  learns 
nothing;  he  is  not  taught  anything ;  he  is  not  caused 
to  know  a  single  fact  or  truth,  by  his  teacher's  hear- 
ing him  recite ;  nor  does  he  learn  anything  by  his 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Threefold 
idea  of 
teaching. 


Two  must 
combine  tc 
make  one 
teacher. 


32 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  teacher's 
other  work 
than 
teaching. 


teacher's  wisest  comment,  if  he  pays  no  attention  to 
that  comment,  or  if  he  is  unable  to  understand  it. 
"  Teaching,"  as  causing  another  to  know,  includes 
the  mutual  effort  of  two  persons  to  the  same  end. 
The  teacher  must  endeavor  to  cause  the  pupil  to 
learn  a  particular  fact  or  truth  which  he  wants  him 
to  know;  the  learner  must  endeavor  to  learn  that 
particular  fact  or  truth.  Until  the  two  are  at  this 
common  work,  the  process  of  teaching  has  not 
begun :  until  the  learner  has  learned,  the  teacher  has 
not  taught. 

Teaching  is  by  no  means  all  of  a  teacher's 
work ;  nor  is  it  always  the  most  important  work  of 
a  teacher.  Impressing  one's  pupils,  and  influencing 
them,  are  important  factors  in  a  teacher's  work, 
when  we  speak  of  "  a  teacher,"  as  one  having  children 
in  charge,  in  a  school — on  a  week-day,  or  a  Sunday. 
A  teacher's  spirit,  a  teacher's  character,  a  teacher's 
atmosphere,  and  a  teacher's  life,  impress  and  influ- 
ence a  pupil  quite  as  much  as  a  teacher's  words.  It 
is  a  teacher's  duty  to  love  his  scholars,  and  to  show 
his  love  for  them ;  to  have  sympathy  with  them,  and 
to  evidence  it ;  to  gain  a  hold  on  their  affections, 
outside  of  the  class-hour,  as  well  as  during  it ;  and 
to  pray  for  them  specifically  and  in  abiding  faith. 
There  is  no  technical  "teaching"  in  all  this;  but 
what  would  technical  teaching  be  worth  without 
this?  There  are  teachers  in  the  Sunday-school 
who  do  a  great  deal  of  good  withouj  teaching; 


No  TtacUng  Without  Teaching. 


33 


they  perhaps  do  a  better  work  in  the  Sunday-school 
than  many  of  their  fellows,  who  do  teach.  Their 
work  ought  not  to  he  undervalued  because  it  is  not 
teaching;  neither  ought  it  to  be  confounded  with 
teaching. 

Impressing  and  influencing  members  of  a  class  is 
one  thing ;  teaching  a  Bible  lesson  is  another  thing ; 
the  two  may  go  on  together,  or  again  there  may  be 
the  one  without  the  other.  Whether  the  one  or  the 
other  is  wanted,  or  both  together  are  desired,  it 
is  important  to  bear  in  mind  what  teaching  is, 
as  distinct  from  any  other  desirable  work  of  a 
teacher.  If  a  Bible  lesson  is  worth  teaching,  it 
ought  to  be  taught :  if  it  is  taught,  it  must  be  by  the 
process  of  teaching;  and  there  is  no  such  thing 
as  teaching  by  a  teacher,  unless  at  the  same  time 
there  is  learning  by  a  learner.  The  question,  there- 
fore, at  the  close  of  each  Sunday-school  hour,  is — not, 
"Were  you  with  your  class  ?  not,  Did  you  prepare 
yourself  on  the  lesson  of  the  day  before  coming  to 
your  class  ?  not,  Did  you  state  and  illustrate  important 
truths  which  it  would  have  been  well  for  the  mem- 
bers of  your  class  to  know  ?  not,  Were  your  hearers 
attentive,  and  seemingly  impressed  ?  but — Did  you 
cause  anybody  to  know  anything  about  the  lesson 
of  the  day?  That  question  you  cannot  properly 
answer,  unless  you  have  proof  that  some  one  of  your 
hearers  learned  what  you  tried  to  make  him  know. 
Until  you  can  speak  with  positiveness  on  this  point, 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  question 
for  you. 


34 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Nature  of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


SVhere  the 
proof  rests. 


you  cannot  say  whether  or  not  you  have  taught  the 
lesson,  or  any  part  of  it,  to  all  of  your  class,  or  to 
any  one  scholar. 

Although  teaching  is  by  no  means  the  exclu- 
sive, nor  yet  always  the  foremost,  duty  of  a 
teacher,  yet  teaching  is  teaching;  and  no  preva- 
lence of  popular  opinion  can  make  anything  else 
than  teaching,  teaching.  And  let  it  be  remembered 
that  the  proof  of  the  teaching-process  always  rests 
with  the  learner ;  not  with  the  teacher,  whether  the 
scholars  be  young  or  old.  The  teacher  can  prove 
that  he  tried  to  teach ;  the  scholar  alone  can  show 
that  the  teacher  succeeded. 


THE  TEACHING  PROCESS. 


2.  ITS  ESSENTIALS. 


PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT. 

HAVING  ascertained  the  nature  of  the  teaching 
process,  the  next  step  is  to  consider  its  essentials.  It 
being  seen  that  the  teaching  process  is  twofold^ 
including  both  learning  and  teaching;  that  teaching 
involves  the  idea  of  a  person  who  is  to  learn,  a 
person  who  is  to  aid  the  learner  in  his  learning,  and 
a  truth  to  be  learned, — it  would  seem  to  be  obvious, 
that  he  who  would  teach  intelligently  must  know 
whom  he  would  teach,  what  he  is  to  teach,  and  how 
he  is  to  teach,  before  he  can  fairly  begin  his  teach- 
ing. Knowledge  at  these  three  points  is  not  merely 
desirable;  it  is  essential.  "Without  such  knowledge, 
intelligent  teaching  is  an  impossibility. 

It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  there  are  Sunday- 
school  teachers  who  retain  their  places  for  years, 
and  who  attend  to  what  they  understand  to  be  their 
duties,  week  after  week,  during  all  that  period,  with- 
out having  any  fair  knowledge  of  their  scholar^ 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Teachers  whe 
never  teach. 


36 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


individually,  of  their  lessons  in  detail,  or  of  wise 
methods  of  teaching;  but  all  this  does  not  make 
these  "teachers,"  teachers;  nor  does  it  make  their 
"  teaching,"  teaching.  No  teaching  can  be  true 
teaching  which  lacks  any  one  of  the  three  essentials 
of  teaching  which  are  above  indicated,  and  which 
are  now  to  be  considered  in  their  order. 


Knowing  Scholars  as  they  Are. 


87 


YOU  MUST  KNOW  WHOM  YOU  AEE 
TO   TEACH. 

Why  You  should  Know  Your  Scholars;  Absurd  Teaching;  Well-informed 
Ignorance  ;  Children's  Lack  of  Knowledge  ;  All  Things  to  All  Men  ; 
Giving  a  Prescription. 

To  begin  with,  as  a  teacher,  you  must  know 
whom  you  are  to  teach;  not  merely  know  your 
scholars  by  sight,  know  them  by  name,  know  them 
so  that  you  can  greet  them  as  acquaintances,  but 
know  them  in  their  individual  capacities,  attain- 
ments, and  needs.  On  the  face  of  it,  this  knowledge 
of  your  scholars  is  essential  as  preliminary  to  any 
intelligent  teaching  on  your  part.  It  may  be,  they 
are  blind.  That  fact  does  not  forbid  your  teaching 
them  ;  but  it  does  forbid  your  reliance  on  ordinary 
maps,  pictures,  and  the  blackboard,  as  teaching 
agencies.  Possibly  your  scholars  are  deaf  and 
dumb.  If  that  be  the  case,  the  agencies  which  you 
would  reject  for  the  blind  come  up  into  added  promi- 
nence as  helps  to  teaching.  Even  though  you  are 
sure  that  your  scholars  can  both  see  and  hear,  you 
need  to  know  also  that  they  are  capable  of  under- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Your  neces- 
sity of  know- 
ing. 


38 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  sheer 
absurdity. 


standing  your  language,  and  that  they  are  reasonably 
familiar  with  the  words  you  employ;  otherwise 
their  eyes  and  ears  might  as  well  be  closed,  for  all 
the  good  they  get  from  your  utterances. 

It  is  a  sheer  absurdity  for  you  to  attempt  to  teach 
another,  unless  you  and  your  scholar  are  acquainted 
with  a  common  language.  It  is  a  literal  "absur- 
dity " — more  literally  than,  perhaps,  you  have  had 
occasion  to  consider.  What  is  an  "  absurdity "  ? 
The  root  idea  of  that  word  is  oh  and  surdus — from  a 
deaf  man  ;  such  responses  as  would  come  from  a 
man  who  could  not  hear  your  remarks,  but  who 
wanted  it  to  appear  that  he  did.  All  of  us  have 
had,  or  have  heard,  "  absurd  "  conversations  of  this 
sort.  You  meet  a  man  on  a  country  road,  and,  say- 
ing, "  Good  day  "  to  him,  you  ask,  "  How  far  is  it  to 
Wilton,  please  ?  "  He  nods  back  a  good-day,  with 
the  u  absurd  "  response — for  he  is  a  deaf  man — 
"Well,  no;  I  haven't  got  any  Stilton  cheese,  but 
I've  been  making  some  good  Young  Americas." 
That  man  understood  your  question  quite  as  well  as 
many  a  scholar  in  the  Sunday-school  understands 
his  teacher's  ordinary  language ;  and  if  there  were 
more  outspoken  answering  in  our  Sunday-school 
classes,  there  would  be  more  of  these  absurdities 
apparent  to  all. 

Socrates  said  that  a  knowledge  of  our  own  igno- 
rance is  the  first  step  toward  true  knowledge ;  and  it 
was  Coleridge,  I  think,  who  supplemented  this  truth 


Recoiling  from  Goodness. 


39 


with  the  suggestion  that,  "  we  cannot  make  another 
comprehend  our  knowledge,  until  we  first  compre- 
hend his  ignorance."  So  long  as  we  suppose  a 
scholar  to  know  what  he  does  not  know,  we  shall 
refrain  from  causing  him  to  know  that,  and  in  conse- 
quence we  shall  be  unable  to  cause  him  to  know 
anything  beyond  that — anything  to  an  understand- 
ing of  which  that  is  a  prerequisite.  Woful  mistakes 
are  constantly  making  in  the  Sunday-school,  because 
of  a  teacher's  failure  to  know  his  scholar  just  at  this 
point — to  know  his  scholar's  ignorance.  A  good 
illustration  of  the  danger  of  a  lack  just  here,  is  that 
given  by  Mrs.  Horace  Mann,  in  her  story  of  a  dis- 
trict school  where,  on  the  occasion  of  her  visit,  those 
boys  who  wanted  "  to  be  good  "  were  asked  to  rise 
in  their  places ;  and  all  but  one  stood  up.  When 
that  solitary  little  fellow  was  urged  by  his  teacher  to 
rise  with  the  others,  he  began  to  cry,  with  a  whim- 
pering  "  No  " — "  no  " — between  his  childish  sobs. 
At  this,  Mrs.  Mann  stepped  down  alongside  of  him, 
and  putting  her  arm  over  his  shoulder  tenderly,  she 
asked,  "  What  do  you  think  it  means  to  be  good,  my 
boy  ? "  "  Ter — be — whipped ! "  was  the  sobbing 
answer.  The  poor  boy  had  been  told  when  he  was 
flogged,  that  it  was  to  make  him  good;  and  his 
untutored  mind  recoiled  from  an  added  supply  of 
that  kind  of  "  goodness."  That  boy  understood  his 
teacher  quite  as  well  as  many  a  scholar  has  under- 
stood your  wisest  words  spoken  for  his  teaching. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  knowledge 
of  ignorance 
as  a  means  of 
more  knowl- 
edge. 


A  boy's 
reluctanc6 
to  be  good. 


40 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


What  a  Bible 
class  did  not 
know. 


There  is  no  mistake  about  this.     The  experience 
of  the  best  teachers  abundantly  confirms  this  truth. 

An  intelligent  Bible  class  teacher  in  a  NQW  Eng- 
land church  had  before  him  ten  or  twelve  adults,  all 
of  whom  were  church-members,  and  one  of  whom 
had  long  been  a  church-officer.  In  considering  the 
opening  verses  of  the  Book  of  Acts,  the  teacher 
asked  what  was  meant  by  the  "  passion  "  of  Jesus 
there  mentioned.  Not  getting  an  answer  at  ouce, 
he  repeated  the  question  in  a  leading  form,  "  Why, 
what  events  in  the  story  of  Jesus  are  referred  to, 
when  he  says  here  that  '  he  showed  himself  alive 
after  his  passion '  ?  " — but  that  also  failed  to  bring 
an  answer.  Thinking  that  the  lack  must  be  in  his 
mode  of  questioning,  or  in  the  hesitation  of  his 
scholars  to  speak  out,  he  set  himself  to  get  an  answer 
to  that  question.  After  following  the  matter  until 
he  was  satisfied,  he  found  that  not  a  scholar  in  his 
class  had  any  proper  understanding  of  the  term 
"  passion  "  as  applied  to  the  closing  sufferings  in  the 
human  life  of  Jesus.  That  discovery  changed  utterly 
the  methods  of  that  teacher  in  his  teaching  work. 
He  now  for  the  first  time  comprehended  the  measure 
of  his  scholars'  ignorance;  and  thus,  for  the  first 
time,  he  was  ready  to  begin  their  teaching.  And 
his  class  was,  in  general  intelligence,  far  ahead  of 
the  average  class  in  the  Sunday-schools  of  America. 
Not  all  scholars  would  stumble  at  the  same  term, 
but  most  of  them  would  be  ignorant  of  the  mean- 


Unknown  Tongues. 


41 


ing  of  some  word  in  quite  as  familiar  use  as  "  pas- 
sion." 

An  observant  and  faithful  teacher  in  a  Philadelphia 
Sunday-school,  told  me  of  his  being  surprised  by  the 
question,  from  a  bright  scholar  who  was  about 
twenty-five  years  old,  "  Who  was  'the  despised  Gali- 
lean'?" On  one  occasion  I  found  myself,  as  a 
visitor  for  the  day,  teaching  a  class  of  JSTew  York 
City  lads,  from  fourteen  to  seventeen  years  old, 
bright  lads,  out  of  the  better  class  of  Christian  homes 
in  that  city.  In  the  lesson  for  the  day,  the  differences 
between  the  teachings  of  Moses  and  the  teachings 
of  Christ — the  Law  and  the  Gospel — were  touched 
upon  I  questioned  those  lads  familiarly  as  to  their 
understanding  of  the  terms  "  Law  "  and  "  Gospel," 
and,  to  my  surprise,  I  found  that  not  one  of  them  had 
any  other  idea,  in  either  case,  beyond  a  statutory 
civil  enactment  on  th^  one  hand,  and  certain  books 
of  the  New  Testament  on  the  other.  Is  it  strange 
that  there  are  "  absurd "  answers,  or  no  answers  at 
all,  to  questions  put  by  Sunday-school  teachers,  to 
scholars  who  have  no  better  understanding  than  in 
these  cases,  of  the  words  employed  in  their  ques- 
tioning ? 

There  are  none  of  us  but  are  using  words  con- 
tinually, in  ordinary  conversation,  which  are  not 
understood  by  those  whom  we  address  by  means  of 
those  words.  Thus,  at  another  time,  I  was  pointing 
out  to  one  of  my  little  daughters  the  beauty  of  the 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process 


More 

cultured 

ignorance. 


Using  strange 
words. 


42 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Where  are 
the  woods  ? 


Where  is  the 
text? 


woods  beyond  the  meadow  we  were  passing,  on  a 
summer  ride.  The  child  looked  puzzled,  but  said 
nothing.  When  another  reference  was  made  to  the 
distant  "  woods,"  she  ventured  the  inquiry,  "  Papa, 
where  are  the  woods?  Are  they  back  of  those 
trees  ?  "  The  meadow  she  knew,  and  the  trees  she 
knew,  but  where  were  the  woods  ?  She  had  never 
been  told,  in  so  many  words,  that  a  great  number 
of  trees  together  were  called  u  woods."  I  was  then 
taught  a  lesson,  when  I  thus  learned  her  lack.  Yet 
again,  when  I  was  leaving  home  for  a  brief  absence, 
I  asked  another  of  my  daughters  to  note  her  pastor's 
text  on  Sunday  morning,  and  report  it  to  me  when 
I  came  back.  She  failed  to  do  this.  As  I  was 
going  away  for  another  Sunday,  I  repeated  my  re- 
quest. Again  my  daughter  failed  me.  When  this 
had  happened  the  third  time  I  proposed,  like  Mrs. 
Horace  Mann,  to  look  into  the  cause  of  this  trouble; 
for  I  was  sure  that  my  loving  daughter  would  have 
reported  the  text,  if  a  willing  mind  were  the  only 
need.  "  RTow  what  is  the  trouble,  my  dear  child  ?  " 
I  asked  her  tenderly.  u  Whj;  didn't  you  remember 
the  text,  or  something  about  it  ?  "  Encouraged  by 
this,  the  little  girl  looked  up  and  asked  a  question  for 
herself:  "  Papa,  what  is  the  text  ?  "  Another  "  ab- 
surdity "  !  I  had  simply  taken  it  for  granted  that 
my  daughter  knew  what  was  the  "  text "  in  our 
pastor's  morning  service ;  and  she  would  have 
known  it  if  I  had  been  a  better  teacher.  I  was  tell- 


Common  Ignorance. 


43 


ing  this  incident  soon  after  to  a  friend,  and  that 
friend  told  me  of  a  similar  "  absurdity  "  in  a  home 
with  which  he  was  connected.  A  lad,  who  had 
been  taken  into  that  family  as  a  farm  boy,  was  told 
on  Sunday,  as  he  started  for  church,  to  be  sure  and 
remember  where  the  "  text "  was.  On  his  return 
he  was  questioned  by  his  mistress:  "Well,  John, 
where  was  the  text  this  morning  ?  "  u  I  don't  quite 
know,  ma'am,"  he  replied  doubtingly ;  "  but  I  think 
it  was  somewhere  down  by  the  door."  All  in  be- 
wilderment over  that  mysterious  term  "  text,"  the 
well-intentioned  but  ill-taught  lad  had  devoted  his 
morning  hour  in  church  to  finding  out  where  that  thing 
could  be,  any  way ;  and  he  was  unwilling  to  confess 
his  failure.  That  was  an  absurdity;  just  such  an 
absurdity  as  every  teacher  is  liable  to  have  in  his 
class,  unless  he  measures  wisely  the  knowledge  of 
those  whom  he  essays  to  teach. 

Children,  generally,  lack  a  knowledge  of  things, 
and  an  understanding  of  words,  with  which  they  are 
supposed  to  be  familiar,  to  an  extent  far  beyond  the 
conception  of  those  who  have  not  given  particular 
attention  to  this  matter.  In  evidence  on  this  point, 
Professor  G.  Stanley  Hall,  a  keen  observer  of  child 
nature,  published,  not  long  ago,  the  tabulated  results 
of  his  careful  examinations  into  the  knowledge 
of  common  things  possessed  by  children  who  were 
just  entering  the  Boston  primary  schools.  Out  of 
some  two  hundred  of  these  children,  he  found 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 

Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Near  the 
doc* 


Children's 
ignorance  of 
common 
things. 


44 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

Cn  AFTER  2. 

Essentials 
of  the 

Teaching 
Process. 


Assu.ne 


Younger 
teachers  are 
better. 


that  one-fifth  did  not  know  their  right  hand,  or  their 
left ;  one  out  of  three  had  never  seen  a  chicken ;  two 
out  of  three  had  never  seen  an  ant ;  one  out  of  three 
had  never  consciously  seen  a  cloud ;  two  out  of  three 
had  never  seen  a  rainbow ;  more  than  half  of  them 
were  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  wooden  things  are 
made  from  trees ;  more  tha&  two-thirds  of  them  did 
not  know  the  shape  of  the  world ;  nine-tenths  of 
them  could  not  tell  what  flout  is  made  of.  And  so 
on  through  a  long  list  of  lesser  and  larger  matters 
in  the  realm  of  common  things.  A  conclusion  to 
which  Professor  Hall  arrived,  was :  "  There  is  next 
to  nothing  of  pedagogic  value,  the  knowledge  of 
which  it  is  safe  to  assume  'at  the  outset  of  school 
life."  Unless  the  Sunday-school  teacher  has  been 
at  the  pains  of  testing  his  scholars'  knowledge  at 
the  point  where  he  would  begin  his  teaching,  he  is 
pretty  sure  to  be  in  error  as  to  the  measure  of  their 
ignorance,  and  to  be  unfitted,  in  consequence,  to 
teach  them  wisely. 

It  is  because  of  this  liability  of  one,  who  well 
knows  what  he  would  teach,  to  fail  of  knowing  accu- 
rately the  measure  of  him  whom  he  would  teach,  that 
many  a  learned  man  has  proved  to  be  among  the 
poorest  of  teachers.  Professor  Payne,  an  eminent 
English  teacher,  has  said,  in  recognition  of  this 
truth :  "  A  man  profoundly  acquainted  with  a  sub- 
ject may  be  unapt  to  teach  it,  by  reason  of  the  very 
height  and  extent  of  his  knowledge.  His  mind 


Still  Young  in  Feeling. 


45 


habitually  dwells  among  the  mountains,  and  he  has 
therefore  small  sympathy  with  the  toilsome  plodders 
on  the  plains  below.  It  is  so  long  since  he  was  a 
learner  himself,  that  he  forgets  the  difficulties  and 
perplexities  which  once  obstructed  his  path,  and 
which  are  so  painfully  felt  by  those  who  are  still  in 
the  condition  in  which  he  once  was,  himself.  It  is 
a  hard  task,  therefore,  for  him  to  condescend  to  their 
condition,  to  place  himself  alongside  of  them,  and 
to  force  a  sympathy  which  he  cannot  naturally  feel, 
with  their  trials  and  experience."  Commonly,  in- 
deed, he  is  unaware  of  the  gulf  which  separates  him 
from  his  scholars,  because,  while  knowing  what  he 
would  teach,  he  does  not  know,  nor  has  he  sought  to 
understand,  those  whom  he  would  teach.  For  this 
reason,  also,  young  teachers  in  the  Sunday-school 
are  commonly  more  successful  as  teachers  than  older 
persons.  The  young  teacher  knows  the  scholar,  by 
his  very  sympathy  with  the  scholar  in  that  scholar's 
lack  of  knowledge.  When,  indeed,  you  find  a 
successful  old  teacher  in  the  Sunday-school,  you  find 
one  who  has  kept  young,  and  who  still  feels  young. 
Being  young  in  feeling,  he  knows  how  the  young 
folks  feel ;  and  knowing  their  feelings,  he  more  nearly 
knows  them  as  they  are. 

It  is  not  alone  in  the  measure  of  his  knowledge, 
that  a  scholar  is  to  be  studied,  and  to  be  known  by 
his  teacher.  It  is  in  his  personal  tastes  and  pecu- 
liarities, in  his  feelings  and  desires,  in  hs^jaa^hods  of 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  great  gulf. 


Using  fly- 
poison 
wisely. 


46 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

Cn  IPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Caching 
process. 


Different 
work  in 
different 
mtals. 


thought  and  his  modes  of  action,  irihis  characteristics 
and  tendencies,  and  in  the  nature  of  his  home  and 
week-day  surroundings,  that  a  scholar  must  he  known 
before  he  can  be  taught  intelligently.  It  is  related 
of  Professor  Orfila,  the  great  French  toxicologist, 
that  when  he  was  testifying,  in  a  court  of  justice,  of 
the  relative  power  of  minute  doses  of  a  particular 
poison,  one  of  the  lawyers  in  the  case  inquired  of  him 
derisively,  u  Could  you  tell  us,  Professor,  the  precise 
dose  of  this  poison  which  &  fly  could  take  safely?" 
"I  think  I  could,"  was  the  cautious  answer;  "but  I 
should  need  to  know  something  about  the  particular 
fly  ur»der  treatment.  I  should  want  to  know  his 
size,  his  age,  his  state  of  health,  his  habits  of  life^ 
whether  he  was  married  or  single,  and  what  had  been 
his  surroundings  in  life  so  far.  All  these  things  bear 
on  the  size  of  the  dose  to  be  administered  in  any 
case."  Surely  a  scholar  deserves  as  much  study,  and 
as  wise  and  as  cautious  treatment,  as  a  fly.  But  not 
every  teacher  is  as  wise  or  as  cautious  as  Professor 
Ornia. 

A  wise  Connecticut  teacher  illustrated  the  neces- 
sity of  a  careful  study  of  each  scholar  individually, 
in  order  to  his  wise  teaching,  after  this  fashion : 
"  Suppose  that  you  were  a  worker  in  metals,  and 
had  a  foundry  and  a  forge  in  which  you  cast  all 
manner  of  curious  things,  or  at  which  you  wrought 
all  manner  of  cunning  devices.  Suppose  a  stranger 
should  come  to  you,  bringing  sealed  packages,  and 


Know  your  Mater  iaL 


47 


should  say,  <  Here  are  various  kinds  of  metais. 
Without  unsealing  them,  put  them  at  once  into  your 
furnace,  run  them  into  your  mould,  work  them  at 
your  forge,  treat  them  all  alike,  and  produce  for  me 
a  set  of  images,  each  the  exact  counterpart  of  the 
others.  Would  you  not  reply  ?  i  The  thing  is  im- 
possible. Let  me  know  what  I  am  working  on. 
Brass  will  not  melt  as  readily  as  lead.  Iron  is  not 
as  malleable  as  copper.  Steel  is  not  as  ductile  as 
gold.  One  process  for  one,  another  for  another,  is  the 
rule  of  my  trade.'  i  But,'  he  urges,  '  metal  is  metal, 
heat  is  heat,  a  forge  is  a  forge,  a  mould  is  a  mould. 
Is  not  that  enough?'  Your  answer  is,  'Metals 
differ.  The  heat  that  melts  one  would  sublime 
another.  The  mould  that  is  strong  enough  for  one 
is  too  weak  for  another.  The  blow  that  would 
crush  the  one  would  rebound  from  the  other.'  "  And 
that  wise  teacher's  enforcement  of  this  telling  illus- 
tration is  worthy  of  the  attention  of  every  teacher : 
"  My  brother  teachers,  are  we  not  too  apt  to  think 
that  the  iron  will,  the  leaden  insensibility,  the  brazen 
defiance,  and  the  golden  sincerity,  which  exist  in  our 
classes,  will,  if  put  into  the  same  furnace  of  appeal, 
shaped  in  the  samo  mould  of  instruction,  and  ham- 
mered at  the  same  forge  of  argument,  all  conform 
to  the  same  image  ?  Do  we  take  pains  enough  TO 
learn  the  nature  of  the  peculiar  metal  on  which  we 
are  working?  and  to  adopt  wisely  the  means  to  the 
end,  the  process  to  tfie  result  ?  " 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTEB  2 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Metals  differ 


48 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


A  different 
teacher  to 
every 
scholar. 


Dean  Stanley  says  of  the  teaching-method  of  Dr. 
Thomas  Arnold,  "  His  whole  method  was  founded 
on  the  principle  of  awakening  the  intellect  of  every 
individual  boy."  And  that  ought  to  be  the  basis  of 
every  good  teacher's  method. 

The  distinguished  principal  of  one  of  the  !N"ew 
York  state  normal  schools  has  said,  that  if  he  had  a 
class  of  fifty  scholars,  he  would  try  to  be  fifty  dif- 
ferent teachers,  as  he  turned  from  one  to  another  of 
those  scholars  to  instruct  them  severally.  In  doing 
this,  that  principal  would  simply  be  doing  a  teacher's 
duty;  but  it  is  a  duty  which  can  never  be  done 
intelligently  until  the  teacher  knows  the  differences 
which  distinguish  his  scholars  one  from  another. 
No  wise  adaptation  of  instruction  is  possible,  unless 
the  teacher  understands  the  peculiarities  of  each 
scholar  whom  he  is  to  instruct.  If  the  scholar  is 
already  a  consistent  church-member,  he  certainly 
requires  very  different  teaching  from  that  suited  to 
a  young  reprobate.  If  he  is  of  a  tender,  loving 
heart,  and  of  a  mercurial  temperament,  his  share  of 
instruction  should  be  another  than  that  for  a  lad  of 
a  cool  and  calculating  disposition.  One  scholar  is 
to  be  reached  through  his  feelings ;  another  through 
his  reason.  One  likes  pictures  and  stories ;  another 
prefers  to  follow  a  thread  of  new  thought.  Each 
scholar  has  his  individuality ;  it  is  for  the  teacher  to 
know  what  that  is,  as  preliminary  to  any  hopeful 
effort  at  teaching  the  scholar. 


Inspired  Methods. 


49 


Jesus  Christ,  the  Model  Teacher,  distinctly  af- 
firmed his  recognition  of  different  classes  of  hear- 
ers, when  he  discoursed  to  the  multitudes ;  and  he 
told  his  disciples  plainly,  that  his  manner  of  pre- 
senting truth  was  chosen  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
they  were  privileged  to  understand  what  his  other 
hearers  did  not.  His  telling  the  truth  in  the  form 
of  parables,  did  not  in  itself  teach  his  hearers ;  but 
afterwards  he  taught  to  his  disciples,  that  which  not 
even  they  had  learned  from  its  mere  telling.  "  There 
were  gathered  unto  him  great  multitudes ;  .  .  .  and 
he  spake  to  them  many  things  in  parables.  .  .  . 
And  [afterward]  the  disciples  came,  and  said  unto 
him,  Why  speakest  thou  unto  them  in  parables? 
And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Unto  you  it 
is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  but  to  them  it  is  not  given.  .  .  .  Therefore 
speak  I  to  them  in  parables.  .  .  .  Hear  you  [now] 
therefore  [the  explanation  of]  the  parable."  Paul, 
also,  had  regard  to  the  individual  peculiarities  of 
those  whom  he  would  teach,  and  adapted  himself  to 
them  accordingly.  "  To  the  Jews,  I  became  as  a 
Jew,  that  I  might  gain  Jews,"  he  says.  "  To  the  weak 
I  became  weak,  that  I  might  gain  the  weak :  I  am 
become  all  things  [by  turns]  to  all  [the  different 
sorts  of]  men,  that  I  may  by  all  [these  different] 
means  save  some."  Paul  would  never  have  attempted 
to  teach  all  the  scholars  in  one  class  after  the  same 
pattern. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  model 

teacher's 

method. 


All  things 
to  all. 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


•cri 


ing  a  ] 
ption. 


Solomon's 
idea  of  wise 
training. 


A  teacher's  study  of  his  every  scholar  is  quite  as 
important  as  his  study  of  his  every  lesson ;  and  the 
former  study  ought,  in  fact,  to  precede  the  latter 
study ;  for  until  you  know  whom  you  are  to  teach, 
how  can  you  judge  what  is  to  be  taught  to  him  ?  It 
has  heen  wisely  said  on  this  subject,  that  "  a  sick  soul 
needs  not  a  lecture  on  medicine,  but  a  prescription." 
If  you  are  to  prescribe  for  a  moral  patient,  you  need 
to  get  down  alongside  of  that  patient,  and  to  feel  his 
pulse,  and  to  look  at  his  tongue,  in  order  to  know 
what  is  his  precise  condition,  and  what  are  his 
present  requirements.  With  the  highest  attainable 
medical  skill,  and  with  a  well-supplied  apothecary's 
shop  at  his  service,  no  physician  could  administer 
a  prescription  intelligently  unless  he  knew  who  was 
his  patient,  and  what  were  the  nature  and  the  stage 
of  his  disorder.  Nor  is  a  teacher  more  potent  in  his 
sphere,  than  is  a  physician  in  his.  The  best  teacher 
in  the  world  is  not  prepared  to  teach  a  Sunday- 
school  class,  until  he  knows  the  members  of  that 
class.  He  must  know  whom  he  is  to  Cause  to  know 
a  truth,  before  he  can  fairly  begin  to  cause  that  truth 
to  be  known. 

Solomon  was  wise  enough,  and  even  under  Divine 
inspiration  he  was  not  too  wise,  to  perceive  and 
to  point  out  the  duty  of  treating  each  child  as  an 
individual  personality,  in  all  attempts  at  his  training. 
"  Train  up  [or,  from  the  start,  teach]  a  child  [any 
child,  every  child]  in  the  way  he  should  go  [not 


A  Child's  Own  Way. 


51 


necessarily  in  the  way  of  the  other  children;  not  in 
one  and  the  same  way  for  all  children,  but  in  his 
particular  way,  the  way  in  which  he,  out  of  all  the 
mass  of  humanity,  ought  to  go ;  whether  any  other 
child  ever  went  that  way  before,  or  whether  any 
other  child  will  ever  be  suited  to  go  that  way  again]  : 
and  [then]  when  he  is  old,  he  will  not  depart  from 
it."  That  is  Solomon's  idea;  although  that  is  not 
the  idea  which  popular  error  has  twisted  from  that 
inspired  injunction.  As  The  Speaker's  Commentary 
f?ays  on  this  passage  :  "  Instead  of  sanctioning  a 
vigorous  monotony  of  discipline  under  the  notion 
that  it  is  '  the  right  way '  [for  all  children,  for  all 
our  scholars],  the  pro  verb  enjoins  the  closest  possible 
study  of  each  child's  temperament,  and  the  adapta- 
tion of  his  way  to  that."  And  as  it  is  in  training, 
so  it  is  in  teaching.  Knowing  the  scholar  individu- 
ally is  essential  to  teaching  the  scholar  fittingly. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


One  way  Jbr 

each. 


52 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

•of the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Suppose  the 
scholar  does 
not  study? 


n. 

YOU  MUST  KNOW  WHAT  YOU  ARE  TO  TEACH. 

Scholars  may  Study,  but  Teachers  must;  A  Boston  Blunder ;  Knowing 
about  the  Lesson,  without  Knowing  the  Lesson  ;  A  Yorkshire  Method  ; 
What  you  must  be  Sure  of. 

WHEN  you  fairly  know  whom  you  are  to  teach, 
then  comes  the  question,  "What  are  you  to  teach  him? 
And  until  you  know  for  yourself  what  you  would 
cause  your  scholar  to  know  for  himself,  you  are, 
obviously,  in  no  state  of  fitness  to  begin  your  work 
of  causing  him  to  know  anything,  of  beginning  your 
part  in  the  twofold  teaching  process,  the  twofold 
learning  process. 

You  will  ten  times  hear  a  teacher's  complaint  that 
his  scholars  do  not  study,  where  you  once  hear  a 
teacher's  admission  that  he  goes  to  his  class  without 
knowing  that  which  he  seeks  to  cause  his  scholars 
to  know.  Yet  a  scholar's  study  in  advance  of  the 
school-hour  is  not  indispensable  to  a  teacher's  teach- 
ing, whereas  a  teacher's  knowledge  of  that  which  he 
is  to  teach,  is  indispensable.  Study  on  the  scholar's 
part  is  very  important  in  its  place,  important  to  the 
scholar  in  the  exercise  of  his  mental  faculties,  and 


Ears  do  not  Make  a  Teacher. 


53 


in  the  storing  of  his  mind ;  but  the  scholar's  pre- 
liminary study  is  no  part  of  a  teacher's  teaching :  it 
is  not  an  element  of  the  teaching  process.  That 
which  a  scholar  has  learned  all  by  himself,  before  he 
and  his  teacher  came  together,  the  scholar  deserves 
all  credit  for ;  that  which  the  teacher  is  to  cause  a 
scholar  to  know,  must  be  the  teacher's  possession 
before  he  can  make  it  the  scholar's  possession. 

If  hearing  a  recitation  were  teaching,  then  it  would 
not  be  necessary  for  a  teacher  to  know  in  advance 
that  which  his  scholar  is  to  recite  in  the  class.  The 
real  work  in  such  a  case  would  be  the  scholar's,  in 
his  preliminary  study  of  the  matter  to  be  recited. 
The  teacher's  duty  might  be  performed  by  a  vigor- 
ous hold  on  the  catechism,  or  the  question  book,  or  the 
Bible,  in  the  class  hour;  and  by  the  exercise  of  his 
lungs  in  asking  the  questions,  or  in  giving  the  word 
for  a  start,  the  exercise  of  his  eyes  in  following  the 
lesson  text  and  by  the  exercise  of  his  ears  in  noting 
the  recitation.  Such  "  teaching  "  as  that  would  not 
require  any  special  preparation  by  the  teacher  for  his 
class  work,  week  by  week.  Much  that  is  called 
teaching  is,  however,  just  that  and  no  more;  but 
calling  it  teaching  does  not  make  it  teaching.  It  is  not 


teaching,  even  if  it  is  called  that. 


Teaching  involves 


and  necessitates  both  a  teacher  and  a  scholar,  and 
also  a  preliminary  knowledge  by  the  teacher  of  that 
which  he  is  to  cause  the  scholar  to  know  by  the  aid 
of  his  teaching. 


PART  L 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 

Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


If  only 
hearing  wert 
teaching. 


54 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2 . 
Essen-tials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  way  into 
the  ditch. 


Ships  and 
religion. 


It  is  obvious  that  we  cannot  intelligently  cause 
another  to  know  what  we  do  not  first  know  ourselves. 
The  blind  may,  it  is  true,  kindly  undertake  to  lead 
the  blind,  but  it  is  more  than  probable  that  both 
leader  and  led  in  such  a  case  will,  sooner  or  later, 
land  in  the  ditch.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  such 
leading,  and  d  good  deal  of  such  landing,  along  our 
Sunday-school  highways,  at. the  present  day;  but 
that  does  not,  by  any  means,  increase  the  desirable- 
ness of  the  method  or  of  its  results;  nor  does  it 
change  the  nature  of  either.  An  inspired  writer 
said  of  some  would-be  teachers,  eighteen  centuries 
ago :  "  For  when  by  reason  of  the  time  ye  ought  to 
be  teachers,  ye  have  need  again  that  some  one  teach 
you  the  rudiments  of  the  first  principles  of  the  ora- 
cles of  God;  and  are  become  such  as  have  need  of 
milk,  and  not  of  solid  food."  And  that  suggestion 
would  have  as  much  force  in  the  case  of  a  great  many 
teachers  now  as  it  had  then.  In  Boston  Harbor  there 
is  a  reformatory  school-ship,  on  which  boys  are  placed 
to  learn  the  rudiments  of  navigation,  and  of  mental 
and  religious  knowledge.  One  day,  while  the  super- 
intendent of  that  school-ship  was  on  shore,  a  stranger 
visited  the  vessel,  and,  according  to  custom,  he  ad- 
dressed the  boys  collectively.  According,  also,  to  a 
too  common  custom  of  talkers,  if  not  of  teachers,  the 
stranger  attempted  to  make  use  of  illustrations  with 
which  he  was  unfamiliar,  by  indulging  in  nautical 
figures  of  speech,  where  he  was  at  every  disadvantage 


What  is  the  Lesson  f 


55 


with  his  bright  sailor-boy  hearers.  When  the  super- 
intendent returned,  he  said  to  the  boys,  at  their 
evening  gathering  for  prayer,  "  Boys,  I  understand 
you  had  a  stranger  to  talk  to  you  to-day."  "Yes, 
sir !  "  "  Yes,  sir !  "  came  up  from  a  hundred  voices. 
"  Well,  what  did  he  talk  to  you  about  ?  "  "  About 
two  things  that  he  didn't  understand ! "  was  the 
unexpected  response  from  one  sharp  boy.  "  Why, 
what  two  things  were  those  ?  "  "  Ships  and  religion ! " 
was  the  witty  answer,  as  giving  the  measure  of  that 
talker's  knowledge  of  the  topics  he  attempted  to 
handle  deftly.  It  would  be  well  if  no  one  since  that 
stranger  had  attempted  to  teach  what  he  did  not 
understand. 

You  are  going  to  teach.  Well,  what  are  you  going 
to  teach  ?  "  To  teach  Bible  truth."  But  Bible  truth 
is  a  large  subject.  You  can  hardly  teach  all  of  it  at 
once.  What  part  of  it  are  you  going  to  teach  now  ? 
"  Oh!  to-day's  lesson,  of  course."  What  is  to-day's 
lesson?  « It  is  Mark  5  :  21-43."  I  did  n't  ask  where 
the  lesson  is,  but  what  is  it  ?  "  It  is  '  Power  over 
Disease  and  Death.' '  I  didn't  ask  what  the  lesson 
is  called,  or  what  it  is  about,  but  what  -is  the  lesson? 
"  Why,  the  lesson  is  a  number  of  verses  out  of  Mark's 
Gospel,  telling  certain  facts  in  the  life  of  Jesus, 
showing  his  power  to  heal  the  sick  and  to  raise  the 
dead,  and  including  several  points  of  interest  bear- 
ing on  his  knowledge  as  well  as  his  power,  and  on 
the  spirit  of  faith  which  he  approved."  Well,  now 


PARTL 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essent  als 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Whatwfll 
you  teach? 


56 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Are  you 
ready  ? 


the  facts  of  this  lesson  clearly  involve  some  points 
of  geography  and  chronology,  and  of  Jewish  man- 
ners and  customs  in  the  days  of  Jesus ;  are  you  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  all  of  these  ?  li  Oh  no  !  I  look 
upon  such  matters  as  of  minor  consequence."  Very 
good,  what  do  you  look  upon  as  of  chief  importance 
in  this  lesson  ?  Do  you  propose  to  teach  the  mere 
wards  of  the  lesson,  so  that  all  your  scholars  can 
recite  them  ?  or,  the  facts  ?  or,  the  involved  doctrines? 
or,  the  practical  applications  of  both  facts  and  doc- 
trines? "Oh!  I  wouldn't  confine  my  teachings  to 
the  mere  memorizing  of  the  words ;  nor  to  the  mere 
facts;  yet  I  should  want  both  words  and  facts  to 
have  a  place  in  the  teaching.  And  I  should  have 
in  mind  the  doctrines  and  their  applications,  and  I 
should  try  to  teach  more  or  less  of  them."  Well, 
have  you  now  fully  in  your  mind  the  facts  of  this 
lesson,  and  the  implied  doctrines,  and  their  applica- 
tions, which  you  propose  to  teach  to  your  scholars  as 
a  class,  and  to  one  scholar  and  another  of  that  class, 
as  individuals  ?  Until  you  have  all  this  in  your  mind, 
you  are  not  fitted  to  teach  all  this  to  your  scholars. 
If  you  have  it  in  mind,  it  is  because  you  as  a  teacher 
have  made  wise  preparation  so  far  for  to-day's  lesson 
teaching.  One  thing  is  sure,  unless  you  know,  before 
you  begin  to  teach,  just  what  you  would  cause  your 
scholars  to  know  by  your  teaching,  they  are  not  likely 
to  know,  when  the  class  hour  is  over,  just  what  you 
have  caused  them  to  know  by  your  teaching. 


Examining  the  Patient. 


57 


If  telling  a  thing  were  teaching  that  thing,  the 
necessary  preparation  of  a  teacher  for  his  teaching 
work  would  be  greatly  diminished.  He  would  only 
have  to  fill  his  mind  with  such  things  as  he  deemed 
worth  knowing,  or  worth  telling,  and  then  pour 
them  out  to  his  class  in  a  stream  of  resistless  elo- 
quence. He  might  then  talk  to  his  class  about 
Bible  geography,  or  Bible  chronology,  or  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  Bible  lands,  or  the  facts  of  the 
day's  lesson,  or  the  chief  doctrines  involved,  or  the 
applications  of  both  facts  and  doctrines,  just  as  he 
happened  to  think  of  these  things,  or  as  his  class 
seemed  to  be  interested  in  what  he  was  saying. 
But  all  this  could  be  done  without  any  teaching 
whatsoever.  There  can  be  no  teaching  where  nothing 
is  learned.  Until  some  one  has  been  caused  to 
know,  the  teaching  attempted  has  not  been  a  suc- 
cess— is  not  a  completed  fact.  Hence  a  teacher 
cannot  know  what  he  is  to  teach  until  he  knows 
what  he  can  teach — at  that  time,  to  the  scholar,  or 
to  the  scholars,  before  hyn.  He  must  not  only 
know  what  he  would  tell  to  his  class,  but  he  must 
know  what  he  can  cause  the  members  of  his  class  to 
know  with  the  help  of  his  teaching. 

Because  the  sick  soul  needs  not  a  lecture  on  medi- 
cine but  a  prescription,  therefore  it  is  essential,  that 
he  who  would  prescribe  for  a  sick  soul  should  not 
only  know  the  peculiar  capabilities  and  needs  of  his 
patient,  but  be  familiar  also  with  the  nature  and 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  goes  to 

complete 

teaching. 


58 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Sulphur  and 
molasses  for 


What  it  is 
necessary  to 
know. 


strength  of  the  medicine  to  be  prescribed  for  the 
particular  case  under  treatment.  It  might  answer 
in  Dotheboys  Hall,  before  Mr.  Dickens  laid  bare  the 
methods  of  that  Yorkshire  institution,  to  prescribe 
a  dose  of  sulphur  and  molasses  for  all  the  school- 
boys alike,  on  a  winter's  morning,  whatever  was  the 
state  of  their  appetites  and  digestive  organs ;  but  that 
would  hardly  be  called  a  wise  medical  treatment  of  the 
young  in  any  first-class  boarding-school  at  the  present 
day.  Nor  does  the  fact  that  a  similar  mode  of  sup- 
plying all  the  scholars  in  a  class  or  school  with  the 
same  mental  dose — and  that  according  to  the  teacher's 
fancy  rather  than  the  scholar's  need — still  prevails 
in  many  a  Sunday-school  of  our  land,  prove  that 
there  can  be  such  a  thing  as  intelligent  teaching, 
where  the  teacher  does  not  know  that  what  he 
would  like  to  teach  can  be  put  within  the  compre- 
hension, or  is  at  all  suited  to  the  peculiar  needs,  of 
the  scholars  he  essays  to  teach.  The  medicine  itself 
must  be  known,  and  the  size  of  a  safe  dose  for  the 
patient  in  hand  must  be. duly  considered  by  the  phy- 
sician, before  there  can  be  any  wise  prescribing  for 
any  patient,  young  or  old.  You  must  know  what 
you  can  teach  in  this  particular  case,  before  it  can 
fairly  be  said  that  you  know  what  you  are  to  teach. 
To  know  what  you  are  to  teach,  necessitates  an 
intelligent  study  of  your  lesson,  while  the  scholars 
whom  you  are  to  teach  are  before  your  mind's  eye 
as  you  are  studying.  You  must  consider  well 


Your  Scholars'  Limits. 


59 


the  capabilities  and  needs  of  your  class  as  a  whole, 
and  of  jour  scholars  individually.  You  must  know 
what  there  is  in  the  day's  lesson,  which  it  would  be 
well  for  your  scholars  to  know.  You  must  know 
also  whether  or  not  your  scholars  can  be  made  to 
know  just  that.  If  it  is  within  the  possibilities  of 
their  comprehension,  then  it  is  for  you  to  get  it  fully 
and  fairly  into  your  mind,  in  order  that  it  may  be 
transferred  to  their  minds.  Until  you  know  the 
lesson  in  this  way,  you  do  not  know  what  you  are  to 
teach — and  surely  you  are  not  prepared  for  teaching 
until  you  know  thus  much ! 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


60 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


No  doing  a 

thing 

\vithout 

knowing 

how. 


in. 

YOU  MUST  KNOW  HOW  YOU  ARE 
TO  TEACH. 

Knowing  how  is  Essential  to  Well-doing  ;  A  Doctor  with  all  Kinds  of 
Knowledge  but  One  ;  The  Need  of  a  Vent-hole  ;  Choosing  your  own 
Method. 

EVEN  when  you  know  accurately  whom  you  are 
to  teach,  and  what  you  are  to  teach,  you  still  are 
unprepared  to  bear  your  part  in  the  twofold  teach- 
ing process,  unless  you  know  how  you  are  to  teach. 
The  scholar  being  before  you,  and  being  well  under- 
stood by  you ;  the  truth  which  you  would  teach  him, 
which  you  would  aid  him  to  learn,  being  well  in 
yourmind, — the  question  is  still  unanswered,  How  are 
you  to  teach  him  ?  How  are  you  to  make  him  the 
mental  possessor  of  that  which  is  now  your  mind- 
treasure,  and  which  you  desire  to  have  him  possess  ? 

In  everything  which  needs  doing,  a  knowledge  of 
the  method  of  doing  is  of  prime  importance.  A 
man  cannot  milk  a  cow,  or  whitewash  a  garret,  or 
make  a  shoe,  or  paint  a  picture,  or  write  a  book, 
or  keep  a  hotel,  or  do  anything  else  in  this  world, — 
unless,  perhaps,  it  is  to  fill  a  government  office, — 
without  knowing  how.  The  fact  that  the  work 


The  Young  Doctor. 


61 


attempted  is  a  religious  one,  does  not  make  it  any 
the  less  important  that  the  doer  should  know  how 
to  do  it.  He  who  would  preach,  must  know  how  to 
preach ;  and  he  who  would  teach,  must  know  how 
to  teach.  No  man  can  call  himself  ready  to  teach, 
until  he  knows  how  he  is  to  teach ;  until  he  is  not 
only  acquainted  with  wise  methods  of  teaching, 
but  has  decided  upon  his  plan,  in  accordance  with 
those  methods,  for  the  work  immediately  before 
him. 

It  is  one  thing  to  have  knowledge  on  any  subject; 
it  is  quite  another  thing  to  be  able  to  make  that 
knowledge  practically  available  to  others.  A  young 
man  goes  through  a  course  of  study  in  medicine. 
He  reads  treatises  in  one  branch  and  another  of 
medical  science,  and  medical  practice;  and  he  at- 
tends lecture  after  lecture  from  eminent  professors 
in  every  branch.  All  this  is  very  well  in  its  way ; 
but  it  does  not,  in  and  of  itself,  make  the  young  man 
a  good  physician.  When  the  student  is  finally 
under  examination  for  a  medical  diploma,  it  will  not 
be  deemed  sufficient  that  he  has  attended  the  lec- 
tures regularly,  and  has  studied  the  books  faithfully ; 
nor  yet,  that  his  mind  is  stored  with  the  great  facts 
concerning  the  constitution  and  the  disorders  of  the 
human  body  to  which  he  is  preparing  to  minister, 
and  the  nature  and  force  of  the  remedies  from  which 
.he  is  to  select  for  each  case  under  treatment;  he 
must  also  be  able  to  say  what  he  would  do  in  a  given 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


What  a 
diploma 
cannot  do. 


62 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Testing  the 
young 
doctor's 
knowledge. 


emergency,  how   he  would  treat  a  particular  case 
when  it  was  before  him. 

Imagine,  for  example,  the  examination  of  a  medi- 
cal student :  "  Suppose  you  were  called  to  see  a  man 
who  had  taken  an  overdose  of  laudanum,  and  was 
rapidly  sinking;  how  would  you  treat  the  case?" 
u  I  should  at  once  recognize  his  great  danger,  and 
my  great  responsibility,  and  I  should  want  to  do  the 
very  best  I  could  for  him."  ' '  That  is  all  very  well, 
so  far  as  your  feelings  and  wishes  go,  but  now,  what 
is  your  knowledge  of  the  thing  to  be  done  in  this 
emergency  ?"  "  Well,  I  think  I  ought  to  have  some 
knowledge  in  that  line.  I  have  attended  medical 
lectures  for  three  years ;  and  the  subject  of  poisons 
was  handled  at  our  college  by  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished toxicologists  in  this  country.  Moreover, 
I  have  read  on  that  subject  as  much  as  any  young 
man  of  my  age  whom  I  know  of."  "  You  certainly 
seem  to  have  had  good  opportunities  of  learning. 
And  now  we  are  trying  to  find  out  if  you  can  put 
your  knowledge  to  a  good  account.  What  would 
you  do  for  this  patient  ? "  "  I  should  tell  him 
plainly  that  his  life  depended  on  his  getting  that 
laudanum  out  of  his  stomach?"  "Yes,  but  he 
might  be  already  so  drowsy  that  he  couldn't  hear 
you;  or  indeed  he  might  not  care  to  be  cured;  what 
then  ?  "  "  Oh !  I  can't  tell  exactly  what  I  would  do 
in  such  a  case.  I  have  studied  medicine  faithfully. 
I  know  all  about  the  human  system,  and  all  about 


Ready  with  a  Plan. 


63 


drugs  and  medicines  When  I  come  to  a  case  of 
any  sort,  I  shall  look  at  it  as  it  is,  and  decide  what 
it  is  best  to  do  under  the  circumstances.  I  can't  say 
beforehand  just  what  I  would  do."  "  "Well,  if  you 
do  not  know  how  you  would  go  to  work  to  save  a 
man  who  was  sinking  .under  laudanum,  or  who  had 
punctured  the  femoral  artery,  it  would  be  too  great 
a  risk  for  the  patient  to  be  in  your  hands  while  you 
were  deciding  what  was  the  proper  mode  of  his 
treatment.  He  would  be  pretty  sure  to  die  on  your 
hands  in  spite  of  all  your  lecture-hearing,  and  your 
home-studying.  We  shall  not  call  you  ready  to 
practice  medicine,  until  you  know  how  to  practice  it 
in  order  to  make  it  effective  in  a  life  and  death 
matter  of  this  kind." 

Just  here  a  bystander  interjects  his  view  of  meth- 
ods :  "  /never  attended  any  medical  lectures,  nor  read 
much  on  this  subject,  but  I  have  seen  the  doctors 
treat  some  cases  like  the  one  you  are  talking  about ; 
and  if  I  were  at  hand  when  there  was  no  one  else  to 
help,  I  would  get  such  a  man  to  swallow  lukewarm 
water  with  mustard  or  soap  in  it,  a  pint  at  a  time, 
and  if  that  didn't  answer,  I  would  have  my  finger 
down  his  throat.  And  when  that  poison  was  out  of 
him,  I  would  have  him  take  strong  hot  tea  or  coffee, 
and  get  him  to  bed;  seeing  to  it  that  his  respiration 
and  pulse  w'ere  kept  up,  by  artificial  chafings  and 
fomentations,  and  finally,  that  he  had  good  rest  and 
nourishment."  "  Well,  now,  that  sounds  practical." 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Not  prepared. 


Practical, 
even  if  not 
technical. 


64 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

otthe 
Teaching 
Process. 


The  need  in 
every  profes- 
sion. 


Teachers 
must  know. 


It  seems  that  the  knowing  how  to  do  is  the  best  kind 
of  knowledge  in  such  a  case.  It  is  all-important  to  the 
poisoned  man  that  one  who  is  treating  him  knows  how 
to  help  him,  even  though  he  lacks  the  stores  of  other 
kinds  of  knowledge  which  fill  the  mind  of  a  medical 
student  who  knows  everything  except  the  how  to 
make  his  knowledge  available. 

In  every  profession  it  is  the  same  as  in  medicine ; 
and  so  it  is  in  every  occupation.  A  lawyer  must 
not  only  know  the  law,  and  know  his  client's  case, 
but  he  must  know  how  to  draw  up  his  papers,  how 
to  make  his  motions,  how  to  proceed  at  every  step  of 
the  trial ;  he  must  have  a  plan  beforehand  in  the 
questioning,  or  the  cross-questioning,  of  every  witness 
on  the  stand,  and  in  his  method  of  bringing  every 
man  of  the  jury  to  see  the  case  as  he  sees  it.  And  what 
would  an  architect  or  a  builder  be  worth,  as  a  prac- 
tical matter,  however  much  knowledge  he  had  of 
styles,  or  details,  of  architecture,  unless  he  knew  how 
to  arrange  for  the  building  material,  so  as  to  have 
each  part  fit  the  other  parts,  and  to  have  every  part 
ready  just  when  and  where  it  was  wanted!  From 
ruling  a  kingdom  down  to  weeding  an  onion-bed,  it 
is  quite  as  important  to  know  how  to  do  what  needs 
doing,  as  it  is  to  have  stores  of  knowledge  concern- 
ing the  things  to  be  done. 

There  is  no  class  of  persons  in  the'  world  who 
more  need  to  have  a  knowledge  of  wise  methods  in 
their  line  of  work,  than  Sunday-school  teachers; 


A  Too-full  Barrel 


65 


and  there  are  none  who  more  commonly  fail  or  fall 
short  in  their  best  endeavors  because  of  their  lack 
just  here.  Inasmuch  as  the  essence  of  teaching  is 
causing  another  to  know,  it  is  not  enough  that  the 
teacher  knows  whom  he  woulcl  teach,  and  what 
he  would  teach ;  until  he  knows  how  he  is  to  teach, 
he  is  yet  unprepared  for  his  teaching  work.  He 
must  know  the  method  by  which  he  is  to  cause  his 
scholar  to  know  that  which  he  knows,  and  which  he 
wishes  the  other  to  know  also ;  or,  his  knowledge  of 
both  his  subject  and  his  scholar  inevitably  comes  to 
naught.  He  may  be  brimful  of  Bible  truth,  and 
brimful  also  of  a  knowledge  of  human  nature  in 
general,  and  of  his  scholars  in  particular;  brimful 
again  of  love  for  his  subject  and  of  love  for  his 
scholars;  but  all  this  threefold  brimfulness  is  not 
sufficient  to  make  him  a  teacher :  nor  can  he  be  a 
teacher  unless  he  knows  how  to  teach,  how  to  get 
some  of  his  brimfulness  into  his  scholars'  brim- 
emptiness.  Is  not  that  obvious  ? 

At  a  local  Sunday-school  convention  in  New  Eng- 
land this  question  of  knowing  how  to  teach,  was 
under  discussion.  "If  only  a  teacher  is  full  of  his 
subject,"  said  one  speaker,  "  there  will  be  no  trouble 
in  his  knowing  how  to  teach  his  class."  "  I  don't 
agree  to  that,"  said  another.  "  A  barrel  of  cider  may 
be  so  full  that  the  cider  won't  run  when  you  draw 
the  tap  ;  it  won't  run,  just  because  the  barrel  is  so 
full.  You  must  give  some  vent  to  that  barrel  else- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Too  much 
brimfulness 


Lacking  a 
vent. 


66 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Knowing 
more  than 
you  can 
teach. 


Choose  your 
own  method, 


where  than  at  the  tap ;  and  you  must  know  where  to 
put  the  vent."  Fullness  is  by  no  means  the  only 
qualification  of  a  good  teacher ;  nor  is  its  lack  the 
chief  need  in  the  Sunday-school  teachers  of  to-day. 
Getting  the  vent-hole  in  the  right  place  is  quite  as 
important  as  drawing  the  tap,  in  order  to  supply 
most  of  our  Sunday-school  classes  with  all  that  the 
teaching-barrel  before  them  can  furnish  for  their 
benefit.  There  are  few  Sunday-school  teachers — 
very  few — who  do  not  know  more  about  each  lesson 
in  hand  than  they  know  how  to  teach.  If  the  aver- 
age Sunday-school  teacher  could  cause  every  scholar 
of  his  class  to  know  all  that  he  knows  of  the  les- 
son under  consideration,  there  would  be  such  an 
advancement  in  Bible  knowledge  as  our  fathers 
never  dreamed  of  for  this  generation,  and  as  we  are 
not  likely  to  see  for  some  time  to  come.  It  is  even 
affirmed  by  one  of  the  most  careful  and  accurate 
of  our  educational  philosophers,  that  "  it  is  a  fallacy 
to  assert  that  there  is  any  necessary  connection 
between  knowing  a  subject  and  knowing  how  to 
teach  it."  If,  however,  these  two  kinds  of  knowl- 
edge have  no  necessary  connection  to  begin  with, 
they  need  to  be  connected  in  the  mind  of  one  who 
would  prove  himself  a  teacher. 

There  are  various  methods  of  teaching.  Not  all 
subjects  are  to  be  taught  in  the  same  way.  Not  all 
teachers  can  use  the  same  method.  Not  all  methods 
are  alike  suited  to  every  scholar.  Nor  are  all 


Decide  on  Your  Plan. 


67 


teachers  to  be  instructed  in  the  methods  of  teaching 
best  adapted  to  them  and  to  their  classes,  through 
the  study  of  any  one  set  of  rules  and  precepts.  It  is 
for  each  teacher  to  decide  for  himself  the  method  of 
teaching  which,  all  things  considered,  is  most  desir- 
able for  him,  in  the  teaching  of  the  lesson  in  hand  to 
the  particular  scholars  he  is  set  to  teach.  The  great 
question  is,  not,  What  are  the  different  approved 
methods  of  teaching?  not,  What  method  of  teaching 
is  most  commonly  successful  in  the  Sunday-school  ? 
but,  What  method  of  teaching  am  I  to  adopt,  in  the 
teaching  of  this  lesson,  to  this  class  ?  or,  How  am  I 
to  cause  these  scholars  to  know  these  truths  which  I 
know,  and  which  I  want  them  to  know  ?  That 
question  settled,  and  there  is  another  point  gained  in 
preparation  for  teaching. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  2. 
Essentials 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Another 
point  gained. 


THE  TEACHING  PROCESS. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


One  and  one 
and  two.  , 


3.    ITS  ELEMENTS. 


PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT. 

AND  now  we  pass  from  the  essentials  for  the 
teaching-process,  to  the  several  elements  of  that  pro- 
cess; from  that  which  is  requisite  for  its  attempting, 
to  that  which  is  involved  in  the  act  itself.  The 
teaching-process  "being,  as  is  already  shown,  of  a 
twofold  nature,  involving  teaching  on  the  one  hand 
and  learning  on  the  other,  its  elements  are  three- 
fold, including  a  portion  for  each  party  separately, 
and  a  third  portion  for  the  two  parties  conjointly. 

The  teacher  must  he  ready  to  impart;  the  scholar 
must  be  ready  to  receive ;  teacher  and  scholar  must 
combine  for  the  transfer.  Neither  party  can  com- 
plete the  work  without  the  other ;  nor  can  the  two 
parties  complete  the  work  without  conjoint  action. 
To  begin  with,  the  scholar  must  be  attentive  to  the 
teacher  who  would  cause  him  to  learn.  Then  the 
teacher  must  make  clear  what  he  would  have  the 
scholar  learn.  Then  the  twofold  work  of  the  teach- 


From  the  Teacher's  Stand-point. 


69 


ing-process,  which  is  also  the  learning-process,  can 
go  on  by  the  combined  endeavor  of  the  teacher  and 
the  learner. 

Hence  it  would  appear  that  the  elements  of  the 
teaching-process,  as  viewed  from  the  standpoint  of 
the  teacher,  are:  Having  the  scholar's  attention, 
making  clear  that  which  is  to  be  taught,  securing 
the  scholar's  co-work  with  the  teacher.  "Without 
these  three  elements  the  teaching-process  cannot  be 
complete. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


70 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  best  and 
the  worst. 


HAVING    THE  ATTENTION    OF  THOSE 
WOULD  TEACH. 


YOU 


No  Teaching  without  Attention;  What  Attention  is;  Attention  on  the 
f lay-ground  ;  Attention  in  the  Army  ;  Attention  in  the  Sunday- 
school ;  Attention  at  Family  Prayers;  The  Necessity  of  Holding 
Attention  as  well  as  Getting  it. 

IT  is  obvious,  that,  even  when  the  teacher  has  his 
scholar  before  him. ;  has,  also,  in  his  own  mind,  well- 
defined  facts  or  views,  which  he  would  transfer  to 
the  mind  of  his  scholar ;  and  has,  furthermore,  a 
well-defined  plan  of  teaching ; — all  this  preparedness 
amounts  to  just  nothing  at  all,  unless  the  teacher  has 
and  holds  the  attention  of  his  scholar.  Without  the 
attention  of  his  scholar,  the  best  teacher  in  the 
world  cannot  be  a  teacher  to  that  scholar.  Shake- 
speare says : 

"  The  crow  doth  sing  as  sweetly  as  the  lark, 
When  neither  is  attended ; " 

and  the  poorest  teacher  can  do  no  worse  than  the 
best  teacher,  when  neither  has  attention. 

So  far,  perhaps,  all  will  be  ready  to  agree.  Every 
teacher  expects  to  have  his  scholars'  attention ;  and 


Attention  Defined. 


71 


many  a  teacher  flatters  himself  that  he  has  it,  T  hen 
nothing  like  it  is  given  to  him.  What  is  attention  ? 
Attention  is  literally  the  stretching  of  one's  self 
toward  a  thing :  it  is  "  the  energetic  application  of 
the  mind  to  any  object,"  "  with  a  view  to  perceive, 
understand,  or  comply."  Attention  involves  the 
giving  of  one's  self,  by  an  intelligent  surrender  or 
devotion,  to  the  one  thing  reached  after,  to  the  ex- 
clusion or  forge tfulness,  for  the  time. being,  of  every- 
thing else.  Attention  is  something  more  than  being 
silent ;  silence  is  very  often  the  result  of  listlessness — 
or  of  slumber.  Attention  is  something  more  than 
looking  straight  at  the  person  or  the  thing  needing 
attention  :  staring  at  vacancy  gives  all  the  fixity  of 
gaze  that  the  best  attention  calls  for;  but  staring  is  by 
no  means  the  giving  of  attention.  Attention  is  some- 
thing more  than  hearing  :  one  may  hear  the  clatter 
of  the  steam-cars  in  which  he  rides,  the  din  and  rattle 
of  the  city  streets  along  which  he  walks,  or  the  rush 
and  roar  of  the  storm  outside  his  house  as  he  sits  at 
home  on  a  wintry  night,  and  yet  give  no  attention 
to  that  which  he  hears.  His  attention  may  be 
wholly  on  the  book  he  is  reading,  the  business  mat- 
ter he  is  considering,  or  the  picture  he  is  examining, 
while  the  discordant  sounds  about  him  are  heard 
without  being  heeded.  Attention  is  something  more 
than  having  an  interest  in  a  subject  before  one. 
Every  man  has  an  interest  in  his  health,  in  his  repu- 
tation, in  his  spiritual  welfare ;  but  not  every  man 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


What  atten- 
tion is. 


Hindrances 
to  attention. 


Teaching  and  Teachers 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Sporting  list- 
lessly. 


gives  attention  to  these  things.  He  may  even  fail 
of  attention  to  that  which  has  more  of  his  interest 
than  anything  else.  The  spirit  may  he  willing  and 
earnest,  while  the  flesh  is  lethargic  or  weak.  An 
overloaded  stomach,  or  a  hadly  ventilated  room, 
may  keep  a  person  from  giving  attention  to  words 
on  a  subject  which  has  a  vital  and  urgent  interest  to 
him.  He  came  to  the  room  expressly  to  hear  about 
this;  but  just  now  he  is  dropping  off  into  a  doze, 
and  he  u  doesn't  care  whether  school  keeps  or  not." 
Real  attention  includes  looking  at,  listening  to,  being 
interested  in,  and,  with  a  positive  exercise  of  the 
will,  reaching, out  after,  the  thing  demanding  atten- 
tion. Until  a  scholar  is  thus  attentive,  no  teacher 
on  the  face  of  the  earth  is  capable  of  teaching  that 
scholar. 

Let  a  boy  have  the  bat  in  a  game  of  cricket;  what 
hope  is  there  of  his  saving  his  wicket  if  he  fails  of 
attention  to  the  movements  of  his  opposing  bowler  ? 
How  much  would  "a  fielder"  be  worth,  to  catch  the 
ball  "  on  the  fly,"  if  he  gave  no  attention  to  the  bats- 
man, in  a  game  of  base-ball?  Leave  out  attention, 
in  a  sportsman's  gunning,  and  what  would  be  his 
chances  of  success  in  the  region  of  duck,  or  par- 
tridges ?  Attention  is  no  less  a  necessity  in 'the  more 
serious  business  of  getting  knowledge,  than  in  the 
games  and  sports  of  life.  Until  you  have  attention 
you  cannot  begin  the  teaching  process.  There  are 
a  good  many  things  which  you  would  like  to  have 


The  Military  Standard. 


73 


in  a  scholar  which,  after  all,  you  can  get  along  with- 
out; but  attention  is  not  one  of  these.  A  scholar 
may  lack  knowledge,  he  may  lack  brightness,  he  may 
lack  a  good  disposition,  and  yet  he  may  be  taught 
by  you.  But  while  a  scholar  lacks  attention,  teach- 
ing him  is  an  impossibility.  It  is  every  way  useless 
for  a  teacher  to  begin  an  effort  at  teaching  until  he 
has,  in  some  way,  secured  the  attention  of  his 
scholars. 

In  military  service,  every  plan  and  every  move- 
ment are  on  a  life-and-death  basis.  All  that  is  said 
and  all  that  is  done,  have  an  important  part  in 
making  each  man,  who  is  either  in  authority  or 
under  authority,  a  success  or  a  failure  in  that  which 
he  lives  for,  and  for  which  he  stands  ready  to  die. 
Officers  and  men  have  a  common  interest  and  a  two- 
fold work  in  that  to  which  they  have  pledged  them- 
selves, and  which  they  have  together  undertaken. 
The  power  of  the  officers  for  that  work  is  in  and 
through  their  men.  The  efficiency  of  the  men  for 
that  work  is  by  and  through  the  direction  of  their 
officers.  Neither  man  nor  officer  amounts  to  any- 
thing without  the  other.  There  ought  to  be  a  les- 
son, then,  in  the  method  of  securing  the  twofold 
work  of  officers  and  men  in  the  army.  However 
skilled  are  the  officers,  and  however  well  disciplined 
and  experienced  are  the  men,  before  any  movement 
is  attempted,  or  any  command  to  such  movement  is 
given,. the  one  word  that  always  rings  out  from  th? 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


A  life-and- 
death  basis. 


74 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


"  Attention ! 
Battalion  I " 


commanding  officer,  as  preliminary  to  his  specific 
direction,  is  "  Attention  !  "  There  stand  the  soldiers, 
already  in  line,  uniformed  and  trained  alike.  They 
are  silent  as  the  grave  itself.  Their  eyes  are  on  their 
commander,  as  if  he  were  the  only  object  of  their 
sight.  Their  ears  are  open  to  the  faintest  whisper 
of  his  voice.  Is  not  this  enough  ?  Are  those  soldiers 
not  already  at  attention?  N"o;  attention  includes 
more  than  all  this  mere  quiet  passivity  of  being. 
There  is  an  active,  conscious,  determined,  earnest 
outstretching  of  one's  self  to  heed  and  to  co-work 
with  the  one  who  is  to  speak,  which  is  essential  to 
the  act  of  attention.  The  commander's  call,  "  Atten- 
tion !  Battalion !  "  is  as  if  he  were  to  say,  "  Soldiers, 
I  know  you  well.  You  know  me.  Our  interests  are 
one.  I  have  words  to  speak  to  you,  and  I  have  work 
for  you  to  do.  Your  lives  and  mine,  and  that  which 
is  dearer  to  us  both  than  life  itself,  hinge  on  my  wise 
direction  and  your  faithful  doing.  Now,  then,  heed 
well,  and  be  ready  to  do !  "  The  experience  of  cen- 
turies has  taught  soldiers  that  there  is  no  hope  of  suc- 
cess in  any  army  struggle  unless  the  officers  have 
first  secured  and  are  still  holding  their  men's  atten- 
tion. And  all  the  experience  of  the  world  tends  to 
show  that  untrained  scholars  have  quite  as  much  need 
as  trained  soldiers  of  giving  attention  to  their  leaders, 
in  a  work  wherein  leaders  and  led  must  act  together 
or  utterly  fail. 

Yet  it  is  a  very  difficult  matter  to  get  and  to  1-^ld 


The  Missing  Class  Books. 


75 


attention  in  a  class ;  and  the  lack  of  attention  is  more 
common  and  more  disastrous  in  Sunday-school  work 
than  is  commonly  supposed.  This  in  itself  would  be 
a  reason,  if  other  reasons  were  lacking,  why  telling 
a  thing  is  not  likely  to  be  the  teaching  of  that  thing; 
for  most  of  the  telling  in  the  Sunday-school  is  to 
those  who  are  not  giving  their  attention  to  the 
speaker.  Professor  Hart  gives  a  striking  illustration 
of  this  truth,  out  of  his  experience  as  superintendent 
of  a  Sunday-school  in  one  of  the  more  prominent 
churches  of  Philadelphia.  He  says :  "In  my  own 
Sunday-school,  I  had  neglected  one  morning  to  bring 
with  me  the  teachers'  class-books.  After  opening 
the  school,  I  rang  the  bell  as  a  signal  for  attention. 
[The  fact  that  this  was  unusual,  was  a  break  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  the  exercises,  gave  it  an  added 
and  a  special  prominence  before  the  entire  school.] 
There  was  a  general  hush  throughout  the  room.  All 
eyes  were  turned  to  the  desk.  I  said  :  t  Your  class- 
books,  unfortunately,  have  been  left  behind  this 
morning.  They  have  been  sent  for,  however,  and 
they  will  soon  be  here.  As  soon  as  they  come, 
I  will  bring  them  round  to  the  several  classes. 
In  the  meantime,  you  may  go  on  with  your  regular 
lessons.5  The  bell  was  then  tapped  again,  and  the 
routine  of  the  school  resumed.  In  about  a  minute, 
a  girl  came  up  to  the  desk,  with,  '  Sir,  teacher  says, 
Will  you  please  send  her  class-book  ?  it  was  not 
brought  around,  as  usual,  this  morning,  before  school 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Lack  of 
attention  is 
common  and 
disastrous. 


76 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Inattention 
at  family 
prayers. 


opened  ! '  Here  was  a  class  of  ten  girls,  averaging 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  not  one  of  them,  nor  their 
teacher,  had  heard  or  understood  the  notice,  which 
I  thought  I  had  made  so  plain  !  "  Nor  was  the  lack 
of  attention  thus  indicated  a  marked  exception  in 
the  experience  of  Sunday-school  classes. 

If  you  think  that  attention  is  easily  secured,  or 
that  it  is  commonly  given  by  listeners  of  ordinary 
intelligence,  test  the  matter,  some  time,  in  your 
home  circle,  at  family  prayers,  when  you  are  reading 
a  Bible  lesson.  I  have  tried  it  in  this  way  scores 
of  times,  and  almost  always  with  the  same  result. 
When  all  were  seated,  with  the  understanding  that 
this  was  a  religious  service,  and  that  the  Bible  read- 
ing was  worthy  of  the  attention  of  all,  I  have  read  a 
verse  or  two  from  the  Bible,  and  then  have  suddenly 
asked  a  question  as  to  the  particular  statements  of 
the  verses  just  read,'  in  order  to  see  how  many  of  my 
hearers  had  given  their  attention  to  the  reading. 
Rarely  have  I  obtained  the  correct  answer  from  any 
one  of  those  present.  Of  course  this  would  have 
been  different,  had  I  announced,  to  begin  with :  "  lam 
now  going  to  read  a  verse,  and  then  question  you  as 
to  its  statements.  Please  give  your  attention  accord- 
ingly." My  tests  have  been  unexpectedly  applied, 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  ordinary  attitude 
of  the  hearer, '  in  the  matter  of  attention.  For 
example :  I  would  read  the  passage  in  Mark  10 : 
32-45,  beginning :  "  And  they  were  in  the  way, 


The  Average  Listener. 


77 


going  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  and  Jesus  went  before  them : 
and  they  were  amazed ;  and  as  they  followed,  they 
were  afraid.  And  he  took  again  the  twelve,  and 
began  to  tell  them  what  things  should  happen  unto 
him."  Now  if  I  were  to  ask  my  questions  about 
this  verse  while  the  very  words  themselves  were  ring- 
ing in  the  ears  of  the  hearers,  the  right  answers 
might  be  given  through  a  recall  of  the  still  echoing 
sounds;  therefore  I  would,  as  it  were,  break  this  echo 
by  such  a  comment  as  this:  "You  will  remember 
that  this  was  not  long  after  the  Transfiguration." 
Then  I  would  go  on  to  ask :  "  By  the  way,  how  many 
of  the  disciples  were  with  Jesus,  just  now?"  Per- 
haps the  answer,  suggested  by  this  mention  of  the 
Transfiguration,  would  be:  "I  think  there  wrere 
three ;  Peter,  and  James,  and  John."  Or,  again, 
one  would  say,  "  I  don't  recall  how  many  were  with 
Jesus,  at  this  time."  "But,"  I  would  say,  "I  have 
just  read  to  you  a  verse  which  tells  you  how  many 
were  there."  Yet,  even  then,  it  is  quite  likely  that 
not  one  of  my  hearers  could  recall  the  statement  as  to 
"the  twelve"  which  had  been  read  to  them,  while  they 
were  not  giving  attention.  So,  again,  if  I  were  to  ask  : 
"Was  Jesus  at  this  time  walking  in  the  midst  of  his 
disciples?  or  were  they  just  ahead  of  him?"  or, 
"  Can  you  tell  me  where  the  disciples  were  going 
when  thisnncident  occurred  ?  "  Not  one  time  in  ten 
have  I  ever  obtained  a  correct  answer  from  even  my 
more  intelligent  and  thoughtful  hearers,  on  such  a 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


A  sorry  test, 


78 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Holding  as 
well  as 
having. 


test  as  this.  And  this  is  only  one  of  many  proofs 
that  close  attention  is  not  easy  to  secure,  nor  is  it  com- 
monly secured,  in  ordinary  religious  services.  Yet 
without  having  attention,  the  teaching-process  must 
still  wait  for  its  very  beginning. 

Nor  is  it  less  important  to  hold  a  scholar's  atten- 
tion than  to  catch  it.  No  teacher  can  begin  to  teach 
until  he  has  caught  the  attention  of  his  scholar.  The 
moment  that  a  teacher  loses  a  scholar's  attention,  he 
ceases  to  be  teaching  that  scholar.  Holding  the 
attention  is  as  essential  to  a  teacher's  work,  as  keep- 
ing his  balance  is  to  a  walker  on  a  tight  rope.  In 
either  case  the  loss  is  fatal  to  success.  This  being  so, 
it  is  evident  that  a  vital  question  to  the  teacher,  as 
he  begins  his  class-work,  and  at  every  moment  as  he 
goes  on  in  it,  is,  not,  Am  I  saying  what  needs  to  be 
said,  and  saying  it  so  that  these  scholars  ought  to 
take  it  in  ?  but,  Am  I  holding  the  attention  of  my 
scholars  ?  Failure  at  this  point  is,  to  say  the  least, 
a  complete  suspension  of  the  teacher's  work,  and  it 
ought  to  be  so  recognized  by  all.  How  to  get  atten- 
tion, and  how  to  hold  it,  are  matters  in  the  art  of 
teaching  which  are  to  be  studied  wisely,  in  view  of 
one's  personal  characteristics  and  the  peculiar  needs 
and  ways  of  his  class ;  but  until  a  teacher  realizes 
that  he  cannot  begin  to  teach  without  having  atten- 
tion, or  continue  to  teach  without  holding  attention, 
he  fails  as  yet  to  apprehend  one  of  the  prime  essen- 
tials of  the  teaching-process. 


A  Means  of  Transfer. 


79 


n. 

MAKING   CLEAR    THAT  WHICH  YOU  TEACH. 

Making   Truth   Clear  is  more  than  Declaring   Truth;   Intermediate 
Agencies  in  the  Transfer  of  Ideas;   Words  Less  Expressive  than 
Visible    Objects;   Signs   have  not  Always   the    Same    Meaning; 
Speaking  in   Unknown  Tongues ;   Children's  Impressions  from  Un- 
familiar Words;  Cultivating  Stupidity  ;  Getting  the  Return  Message. 

WHEN  a  teacher,  fully  possessed  of  a  truth  worth 
teaching,  fully  familiar  with  wise  methods  of  teach- 
ing, and  fully  acquainted  with  a  scholar  whom  he 
would  teach,  finds  himself  face  to  face  with  that 
scholar,  and  the  scholar,  in  turn,  is  there,  all  attent 
on  receiving  instruction,  then  comes  the  teacher's 
duty  of  making  clear  that  which  he  would  teach  to 
the  scholar ;  and  making  a  truth  clear  is  something 
more  than  stating  and  declaring  a  truth ;  often  a 
great  deal  more. 

Truth  cannot  be  transferred  bodily  from  one  mind 
to  another  ;  it  is  always  dependent  for  its  transfer  on 
some  intermediate  agency.  The  agency  employed 
for  the  transfer  of  thought  may  be  words,  gestures,  or 
visible  objects, — such  as  pictures,  blocks,  or  figures ; 
but  in  any  case  the  agency  is,  at  the  best,  only  a 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Symbols  of 
thought. 


80 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  1 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTKR  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Seeing  i<? 


symbol  of  the  idea,  and  not  the  idea  itself.  The 
symbol  chosen  by  a  teacher  may  or  may  not  be  clear 
to  his  scholar;  unless  it  is  clear,  or  is  subsequently 
made  so,  it  fails  of  success  in  its  designated  mission 
to  that  scholar. 

"Words  are  commonly  less  expressive  and  less 
definitive  than  visible  objects.  A  word  is  an  arbi- 
trary sign,  adopted  by  those  who  choose  to  accept  it, 
as  standing  for  or  suggesting  a  particular  thing ;  it 
carries  no  meaning  in  itself.  To  those  who  are  un- 
instructed  in  its  accepted  symbolism  or  suggestions, 
any  word  is  meaningless  or  misleading.  Just  here 
is  where  visible  objects  often  have  a  decided  advan- 
tage in  making  one's  meaning  clear.  The  word 
"  like  "  or  "  dislike,"  for  example,  would  convey  a 
clear  meaning  to  one  fairly  acquainted  with  English  ; 
but  it  would  give  no  idea  to  a  Hindoo,  nor  even  to  a 
Frenchman.  But  a  gesture  of  approval  or  of  repul- 
sion, with  an  accompanying  facial  expression  of  sat- 
isfaction or  of  disgust,  would  be  understood  alike  the 
wide  world  over.  So,  again,  the  word  "  dog,"  or 
the  word  "  rose,"  would  convey  a  meaning  in  one 
part  of  the  world,  but  not  in  another,  while  a  fin- 
ished picture  of  the  animal,  or  of  the  flower,  would 
make  the  thing  designated  clear  to  any  one  who 
could  see,  whatever  language  he  was  accustomed  to. 
But  gestures,  pictures,  and  words,  may  all  fail  of 
conveying  one's  meaning  to  another;  they  will  fail 
unless  they  are  used  well  and  wisely. 


Mark  Twain1  s  Dialogue. 


81 


"Not  all  signs  have  the  same  meaning  the  world 
over.  In  our  part  of  the  world  it  is  a  sign  of  respect 
to  hare  one's  head,  hut  not  one's  feet,  on  entering  a 
church  or  a  private  -house-;  hut  in  the  East  respect 
is  shown,  under  the  same  circumstances,  hy  taking 
off  one's  shoes,  and  keeping  one's  head  covered.  NOT 
is  a  picture  equally  plain  to  all.  An  outline  sketch 
conveys  an  idea  to  an  observer  just  in  proportion  to 
the  play  and  training  of  the  observer's  imaginative 
faculties ;  and  so  it  is  with  a  map-drawing,  or  even 
with  a  photograph  of  mountain  landscape.  The 
visible  object  employed  as  an  agency  of  instruction 
does  not  in  itself  make  clear  the  thing  it  is  designed 
to  represent.  The  teacher  has  a  work  to  do  in 
making  that  agency  effective  to  the  end. 

In  words,  far  more  than  in  gestures  or  in  pictures 
as  an  agency  of  communication,  there  is  room  for 
misunderstanding,  and  there  is  need  of  care  and 
effort  in  making  their  meaning  clear.  Persons  who 
are  supposed  to  use  the  same  language  often  fail  to 
employ  words  in  a  signification  common  tc  both 
parties.  A  capital  illustration  of  this  truth  is  found 
in  Mark  Twain's  description  of  an  interview  between 
a  rough  Nevada  miner,  using  the  common  slang 
phrases  of  his  region,  and  the  new  minister,  "  yet 
unacquainted  with  the  ways  of  the  mines,"  when  the 
miner's  object  was  to  engage  the  minister  to  conduct 
the  funeral  services  of  a  dead  comrade.  Each  speaker 
employs  his  own  language,  which  has  a  meaning  in 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Signs  need 
explanation. 


Gulfs  In  lau 
guage. 


82 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  minister 
and  the 
miner. 


his  mind,  but  conveys  no  meaning  to  the  other.  "Are 
you  the  duck  that  runs  the  gospel-mill  next  door  ? " 
asks  the  miner.  "  Am  I  the — pardon  me,  I  believe 
I  do  not  understand  ?  "  queries  the  minister.  "  Why, 
you  see,"  says  the  miner,  "  we  are  in  a  bit  of  trouble, 
and  the  boys  thought  maybe  you  would  give  us  a  lift, 
if  we'd  tackle  you — that  is,  if  I've  got  the  rights  of 
it,  and  you  are  the  head  clerk  of  the  doxology-works 
next  door."  "  I  am  the  shepherd  in  charge  of  the 
flock  whose  fold  is  next  door."  "The  which?" 
"  The  spiritual  adviser  of  the  little  company  of  be- 
lievers whose  sanctuary  adjoins  these  premises." 
Here  the  miner  begins  to  see  that  the  trouble  is  in 
the  language  used.  Scratching  his  head,  he  says,  in 
gamblers'  phrase :  "  You  rather  hold  over  me,  pard. 
I  reckon  I  can't  call  that  hand.  Ante,  and  pass  the 
buck."  "How?  I  beg  pardon.  '  What  did  I  un- 
derstand you  to  say  ?  "  "  Well,  you've  rather  got 
the  bulge  on  me.  Or  maybe  we've  both  got  the 
bulge  somehow.  You  don't  smoke  me,  and  I  don't 
smoke  you.  You  gee,  one  of  the  boys  has  passed  in 
his  checks,  and  we  want  to  give  him  a  good  send  off, 
and  so  the  thing  I'm  on  now  is  to  roust  out  some- 
body to  jerk  a  little  chin-music  for  us,  and  waltz  him 
through  handsome."  "  My  friend,  I  seem  to  grow 
more  and  more  bewildered.  Your  observations  are 
wholly  incomprehensible  to  me.  Cannot  you  sim- 
plify them  in  some  way  ?  "  And  after  this  fashion 
these  two  men  go  on  trying  in  vain  to  make  clear, 


The  Preacher's  Hindrance. 


83 


by  the  words  they  severally  employ,  ideas  which  are 
simple  enough  in  themselves,  but  which  here  lack  a 
common  agency  of  transmission.  And  what  is  thus 
pictured  in  fiction  is  found  in  lesser  or  larger  meas- 
ure as  a  fact  in  many  a  preacher's  congregation,  or 
Sunday-school  teacher's  class,  when  the  one  who 
seeks  to  convey  instruction  has  no  thought  of  the 
barrier  to  his  success  which  exists  in  the  words  he 
employs  as  a  means  of  expressing  his  ideas. 

A  large  share  of  the  really  important  words  used 
by  most  ministers  are  practically  unintelligible  to  a 
large  proportion  of  their  hearers ;  and  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  words  relied  on  by  Sunday-school 
teachers  for  the  conveying  of  their  ideas  to  their 
scholars  convey  no  meaning,  or  a  wrong  one,  to 
those  to  whom  they  are  thus  addressed.  Hearers 
generally  gain  their  idea  of  a  public  discourse  from 
its  drift,  rather  than  from  its  detailed  statements ; 
or,  perhaps  yet  more  commonly,  from  a  single 
pointed  remark  or  telling  illustration  used  by  the 
speaker ;  and  it  is  by  no  means  a  rare  thing  for  a 
hearer  to  receive  from  a  speaker  just  the  opposite 
impression  from  that  which  the  speaker  sought  to 
express.  It  may  or  may  not  be  true  that  a  good  woman 
heard  an  English  bishop  preach  from  the  text,  "  The 
fool  hath  saicl  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God,"  and 
when,  afterwards,  asked  by  the  distinguished  preacher 
whether  she  had  enjoyed  the  sermon,  responded: 
"  Oh  !  it  was  all  very  fine ;  but,  my  lord,  I  believe 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Speaking  in 

unknown 

tongues. 


84 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
-Process. 


Leaving  out 
the  "not." 


there's  a  God  for  all  that."  Even  if  this  is  not 
veritable,  it  might  have  been.  As  marked  a  mis- 
understanding as  this  of  a  preacher's  meaning  occurs 
in  more  places  than  one  on  every  Lord's  Day,  in  both 
England  and  America.  On  one  occasion,  within 
my  personal  knowledge,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bushnell,  in 
preaching  a  sermon,  sought  to  guard  himself  against 
being  misunderstood,  by  saying  explicitly:  "Now 
do  not  understand  me  as  saying  this;  "  and  thereupon 
he  stated  what  he  did  not  mean  to  teach.  "  Nor 
understand  me  as  saying  this,"  he  said,  before 
stating  another  proposition ;  and  so  again  the  third 
time.  In  that  case,  however,  one  of  the  more  promi- 
nent hearers  of  Dr.  Bushnell — a  man  of  far  more 
than  average  intelligence — made  an  attack  on  Dr. 
Bushnell  in  the  public  prints,  as  having  taught  in 
that  sermon  the  very  things  which  Dr.  Bushnell  had 
said  he  did  720^  mean;  and  the  critic  quoted  all  of 
the  words  of  one  of  those  statements  after  another — 
except  the  word  "  not " — in  proof  of  his  assertion. 
And  this  was  not  on  a  point  of  theology,  where  terms 
are  peculiarly  liable  to  be  misapprehended;  but  it 
was  in  the  field  of  practical  life,  where  there  was 
less  apparent  danger  of  ambiguity  of  statement; 
and  the  critic  was  unquestionably  honest  in  believ- 
ing that  the  preacher  had  affirmed  what  he  really 
had  denied. 

Children   are  continually  getting  wrong  impres- 
sions as  to  the  meaning  of  words,  and  as  to  the  rela- 


Lessons  from  Egypt. 


85 


tions  of  different  facts  communicated  to  them ;  and 
unless  those  errors  are  ascertained  and  corrected, 
there  is  no  hope  of  making  truth  clear  within  the 
scope  of  those  errors.  When  my  little  son  was  six 
years  old,  he  stood  at  the  window  watching  the 
signs  of  a  funeral  from  a  neighbor's  house.  As  the 
coffin  was  carried  out,  he  expressed  surprise  at  its 
length,  since  it  contained  only  the  dead  man's  hody. 
Thereupon  a  few  questions  from  the  boy's  mother 
revealed  the  fact,  that  the  very  effort  to  teach  him, 
that  "  only  the  body  is  laid  away  in  the  grave,"  had 
given  him  the  not  unnatural  idea  that  the  head  and 
arms  and  legs  were  carefully  removed  before  burial. 
Again,  in  my  home-circle,  the  Sunday-school  lessons 
were  read  over  and  talked  about  at  family  prayers. 
One  of  my  daughters  was  greatly  interested  in  the 
story  of  Joseph.  When  the  transfer  was  made  in 
the  lesson  course  from  Genesis  to  Matthew,  I  found 
that  my  daughter  was  supposing,  for  some  time,  that 
Joseph  of  Nazareth  who  went  down  into  Egypt  with 
the  Holy  Child  was  the  same  Joseph  about  whom 
she  had  known  as  living  in  Egypt  before  then.  For 
this  error  I  was  to  blame,  not  she ;  for  I  had  not 
made  clear  the  difference  between  the  two  Josephs, 
and  the  two  periods  of  their  lives. 

I  was,  at  one  time,  examining  a  school  of  bright 
Massachusetts  children,  concerning  their  lessons 
about  the  Israelites  in  Egypt.  "  In  what  country 
were  the  Israelites  living  at  this  time?"  I  asked. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Only  the 
body. 


Another 
Joseph, 


86 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  house  of 
bondage. 


Plaintiff  and 
defendant. 


Souls  and 
soles. 


"  In  Egypt,"  came  up  as  the  answer  from  all.  "  In 
what  state,  or  in  what  condition,  were  the  Israelites 
held,  while  in  Egypt?"  "In  bondage."  I  won- 
dered whether  all  knew  the  meaning  of  that  word 
they  had  given  so  readily ;  so  I  asked,  "  What  do 
you  mean  by  bondage  ?  What  is  bondage?"  "A 
house,"  was  the  answer  from  several.  This  raised  a 
laugh,  and  other  scholars  answered,  "  Slavery."  But 
I  saw,  at  once,  that  those  mistaken  scholars  had 
been  misled,  not  unnaturally,  by  the  title  of  the  first 
lesson  of  the  quarter,  as  given  in  the  International 
series:  "  The  House  of  Bondage."  A  mistake  just 
there  was,  however,  hardly  less  important  to  the 
thread  of  the  quarter's  lesson,  than  was,  in  its  place, 
the  doubt  of  the  juryman,  who  at  the  close  of  an 
important  trial  asked  to  be  informed  of  the  meaning 
of  the  words  u  plaintiff  "  and  "  defendant,"  which  he 
had  heard  used  so  freely  in  the  testimony  and  argu- 
ments in  the  case.  A  little  explanation  would,  in 
either  instance,  have  made  the  doubtful  language 
clear  ;  but  it  was  all-important  that  that  explanation 
be  at  the  opening,  rather  than  at  the  close,  of  the 
examination  of  the  subject  under  investigation. 

A  Massachusetts  Sunday-school  teacher  was  talk- 
ing with  her  scholars  about  one  of  our  Lord's  mira- 
cles of  healing,  and  she  said  that  Jesus  was  now  just 
as  ready  to  make  our  souls  whole  and  sound,  as  he 
was  in  olden  time  to  make  men's  bodies  whole. 
After  pressing  this  point,  she  asked  that  any  who 


Take  Nothing  for  Granted. 


87 


thought  that  their  souls  were  in  no  need  of  cure 
TV  ould  raise  their  hands.  Up  went  several  hands. 
At  this  she  asked  what  they  understood  by  having 
their  souls  cured.  Promptly  there  came  back  the 
answer  from  a  bright  little  boy :  "  You  mean  when 
the  bottom  of  our  feet  don't  ache."  An  odd  con- 
ception that,  but  one  which,  while  it  remained,  was 
a  hopeless  barrier  to  making  the  truth  clear  con- 
cerning spiritual  wholeness.  A  gentleman  told  me 
that,  when  he  was  a  lad,  he  went  to  his  Christian 
employer  and  sought  counsel  under  his  burden  of 
conscious  sin.  u  Your  only  hope,"  was  the  reply, 
*'  is  in  accepting  Jesus  Christ  as  the  propitiation  for 
your  sins."  What  "  propitiation "  meant,  that 
teacher  did  not  make  clear;  nor  did  the  scholar 
know  for  himself;  and  so,  for  a  time,  it  barred  the 
way  of  salvation,  instead  of  pointing  it  out. 

In  view  of  one's  constant  liability  to  use  words 
which  his  hearers  do  not  understand,  or  which  for  the 
time  being  they  misapprehend,  a  teacher  has  the 
responsibility  and  the  duty  of  being  always  careful 
to  make  clear  to  his  scholars  the  truths  he  would 
teach  them.  And  in  this  effort  a  teacher  may  not 
rest  satisfied  with  the  mere  declaration  of  the  truth, 
in  words  that  seem  to  himself  explicit  and  plain ; 
nor  can  he  be  sure  that  he  has  made  the  truth  clear, 
just  because  his  scholars  re-state  to  him  in  the  same 
words  the  truth  he  has  declared  to  them.  Telling  a 
thing  is  not  in  itself  teaching  that  thing ;  nor  is 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


A  confusing 
explanation. 


Be  sure  you 
are  clear. 


88 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

'  of the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  return 


Words  as 
barriers. 


hearing  a  recitation,  teaching  the  thing  recited.  The 
words  which  the  teacher  employs  in  the  telling,  may 
be  words  which  the  scholar  does  not  understand ;  or, 
again,  the  scholar  may  misapprehend  the  point  and 
the  purport  of  the  teacher's  statements,  even  while 
he  knows  the  meaning  of  the  several  words  employed. 
If  this  be  the  case  as  the  scholar  hears  the  words, 
it  is  in  no  way  changed  by  the  scholar's  repeating 
the  words  back  again  just  as  he  heard  them.  You 
send  a  message  in  cipher,  by  telegraph.  The  opera- 
tor at  the  other  end  of  the  line  "  repeats  "  back 
that  message  just  as  he  received  it,  in  order  to  show 
that  it  was  sent  correctly.  But  neither  the  receiving 
of  these  words  nor  the  repeating  them,  by  that 
operator,  gives  him  any  idea  of  their  true  meaning; 
for  they  are  in  cipher.  A  great  deal  of  the  ordinary 
class-teaching  in  Sunday-school  is  in  cipher;  a 
cipher  of  which  the  key  has  never  been  given  to  the 
scholars. 

The  undue  reliance  on  mere  words  as  an  agency 
in  the  work  of  imparting  knowledge,  has  been  a 
prominent  cause  of  retarding  the  attainment  of 
knowledge  in  the  minds  of  scholars  who  have  been 
taught  to  memorize  words,  in  our  week-day  schools 
and  our  Sunday-schools,  under  the  impression  that  the 
knowledge  of  the  words  was,  to  a  certain  extent  at 
least,  identical  with  a  knowledge  of  the  truths  symbol- 
ized by  those  words.  Some  years  ago  a  notable  paper 
appeared  in  the  London  Journal  of  Psychological 


Cultivating  Stupidity. 


89 


Medicine,  on  The  Artificial  Production  of  Stupidity 
in  Schools.  It  started  out  with  the  story  of  a  learned 
judge  who  praised  a  retiring  witness  hy  saying : 
"You  are  entitled  to  great  credit,  sir.  You  must 
have  taken  infinite  pains  with  yourself.  No  man 
could  naturally  be  so  stupid."  Then  it  went  on  to 
show  that,  in  this  process  of  unintelligent  memoriz- 
ing and  of  rote-recitations,  and  in  this  attention  to 
the  mere  words  of  a  lesson  under  consideration,  there 
is  actually  no  exercise  of  the  distinctive  brain- 
character  which  elevates  man  above  the  lower  order 
of  animals.  "Upon  testing  the  educational  systems 
of  the  present  day  by  even  the  most  elementary  prin- 
ciples of  psychology,"  said  this  article,  "  it  becomes 
apparent  that  a  very  large  number  of  children  receive 
precisely  the  kind  of  training  which  has  been  be- 
stowed upon  a  learned  pig."  It  even  went  farther 
and  declared  :  "  We  conceive  that  the  recent  devel- 
opment of  nervous  physiology  entitles  us  to  main- 
tain that  learning  by  rote  is  at  once  the  effect  and 
the  evidence  of  operations  limited  to  the  sensorial 
ganglia;  and  that  such  operations  have  no  tendency, 
however  they  may  be  complicated  or  prolonged,  to 
excite  those  functions  of  the  cerebrum  which  are  the 
peculiar  attributes  of  humanity ;"  which  is  only  a 
scientific  and  technical  way  of  saying,  that  fastening 
words  in  the  mind  is  never  identical,  nor  ever  can 
be  identical,  with  getting  ideas  into  the  mind ;  that 
if  you  would  have  a  scholar  in  advance  of  a  talking 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 

Elements 

of the  * 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  learned 
pig  process. 


90 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

oft  ho 
Teaching 
Process. 


Pope's 
Dunciad. 


What  is 
involved. 


parrot  or  a  learned  pig,  you  must  find  some  way  of 
making  clear  to  him  what  you  would  cause  him  to 
know,  apart  from  merely  telling  him  words,  or  from 
having  him  memorize  words. 

Nor  is  this  a  truth  which  has  been  recognized, 
for  the  first  time,  in  our  generation.  In  Pope's 
Dunciad,  when  the  Goddess  of  Dullness  comes  in 
her  majesty  "  to  destroy  order  and  science,  and  to 
substitute  the  Kingdom  of  the  Dull  upon  earth, "  the 
geniuses  of  the  schools  approachher,  and  "  assure  her 
of  their  care  to  advance  her  cause  by  confining  youth 
to  words,  and  keeping  them  out  of  the  way  of  real 
knowledge."  Their  reasoning  is : 

"  Since  man  from  beast  by  words  is  Known, 
Words  are  man's  province,  words  we  teach  alone. 

We  ply  the  memory,  we  load  the  brain, 
Bind  rebel  wit,  and  double  chain  on  chain, 
Confine  the  thought,  to  exercise  the  breath, 
And  keep  them  in  the  pale  of  words  till  death." 

That  will  answer  for  the  servants  of  the  Goddess 
of  Dullness ;  but  it  is  not  the  way  for  those  who 
would  cause  their  scholars  to  know  the  truth,  and  who 
would  make  clear  that  which  they  would  cause  them 
to  know  of  the  truth. 

Making  the  truth  clear  to  a  scholar,  involves  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  truth  by  the  teacher; 
his  clear  understanding,  also,  of  the  scholar's  meas- 
ure of  knowledge,  and  of  the  scholar's  methods  of 


Ckarness  Indispensable. 


91 


thought  and  speech.  It  involves,  moreover,  close 
attention  on  the  scholar's  part,  and  wise  methods  of 
exhibiting,  explaining,  and  illustrating  the  truth  on 
the  part  of  the  teacher.  Without  his  making  clear 
the  truth  which  he  would  teach,  the  teacher  may 
indeed  know  that  truth  for  himself,  but  he  cannot 
cause  the  scholar  to  know  it ;  and  teaching  is  causing 
one  to  know.  No  teaching  of  a  truth  is  possible 
until  that  truth  is  made  clear  to  him  who  is  to  be 
taught. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


92 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


No  learning 
without  au 
effort. 


m. 

SECURING  YOUR  SCHOLARS'  CO- WORK. 

Need  of  the  Scholar's  Help  ;  The  Learner  must  Give,  to  Keep  ;  Telling, 
a  Part  of  Learning  ;  The  Difference  between  Teaching  and  Preach- 
ing ;  Influence  and  Instruction;  Cleansing  a  Mind,  not  Furnish- 
ing it ;  Teaching,  Not  the  Teacher's  only  Work ;  Philosophy  of  the 
Teaching-process. 

WHEN  attention  is  secured  from  the  scholar,  and 
when  the  teacher  has  made  clear  that  which  he 
would  teach,  there  yet  remains  the  common  work  of 
teacher  and  scholar — their  co-work,  to  complete  the 
teaching-process.  Unless  teacher  and  scholar  co- 
operate, to  make  that  which  the  teacher  proffers  an 
actual  possession  of  the  scholar,  the  attempt  at  teach- 
ing is  only  an  attempt — an  unsuccessful  attempt. 
Without  the  scholar's  co-work,  the  best  "teacher" 
on  earth  can  never  be  a  teacher. 

Mental  philosophers  are  agreed  that  the  human 
mind  cannot  make  knowledge  its  own  without  an 
effort;  cannot  add  to  its  permanent  treasures  by 
mere  passive  hearing,  or  by  unobservant  sight.  It  is 
even  claimed  by  many,  that  one  never  really  knows 
a  thing  until  he  has  in  some  way  reproduced  or  re- 


How  Much  we  Forget. 


93 


shaped  it  by  speaking,  or  writing,  or  at  least  by  a 
conscious  act  of  the  will.  "We  certainly  hear  a  great 
many  sounds  without  learning  their  character  or 
meaning ;  and  we  certainly  have  a  great  many  sights 
pass  before  our  eyes  without  our  learning  their  fea- 
tures or  their  substance.  Who  of  us  have  learned  the 
tone  of  every  voice  we  have  heard  as  we  passed  along 
a  crowded  city  street,  or  the  peculiar  sound  of  every 
clang  and  rattle  of  machinery  which  may  have 
dinned  our  ears  ?  Who  of  us  have  learned  the  gen- 
eral appearance  of  every  person  whom  we  have  seen 
in  places  of  public  resort,  or  of  all  the  rocks  or  trees 
or  buildings  on  which  our  eyes  may  have  rested  as 
we  journeyed  from  place  to  place  ?  Who  of  us  have 
learned  all  the  truths  declared  in  our  hearing,  or  all 
the  facts  we  have  read  in  books  or  papers  ?  Who 
of  us  can  say  that  we  ever  learned  anything,  so  that 
it  became  our  actual  mental  possession,  without  some 
conscious  effort  on  our  part;  without  our  expressly 
opening  our  mind  to  take  it  in  ;  without  our  reaching 
after  it,  in  order  that  it  might  become  our  own  ? 

We  hear  a  sermon;  we  are  attentive  to  it;  we 
understand  it;  but  are  its  truths  all  made  our  own  ? 
Can  we  always  so  know  its  text,  or  its  plan,  or  its 
main  subject,  that  we  can  tell  them  to  another,  the 
next  week,  or  the  next  day?  One  thing  is  sure  :  if 
we  go  directly  home,  while  that  sermon  is  fresh  in 
our  mind,  and  repeat  its  substance,  or  its  main 
points,  to  some  one  else ;  or  if  we  make  a  written 


PAKT  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

\Vork. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Heedless 
seeing. 


RemembT- 
ng  what  we 
have  said. 


94 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work.  . 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Gaining  by 
giving. 


By  teaching 
we  learn. 


note  of  its  text  and  its  teachings, — we  are  far  more 
likely  to  have  thus  much  of  it  as  our  own  for  years 
to  come.  If  we  hear  a  good  story  and  laugh  over  it 
heartily,  it  does  not  follow  that  we  shall  be  able  to 
recall  its  details  as  long  as  we  remember  our  laugh 
at  it ;  but  if  we  have  ourselves  told  the  story  over, 
two  or  three  times,  it  is  one  of  our  own  stock  of 
stories,  as  it  never  was  before.  To  tell  another  any 
truth  we  have  read  or  heard ;  to  try  to  explain  it  to 
some  one  who  did  not  understand  it;  or  to  attempt 
to  put  that  truth  to  some  practical  purpose, — renders 
the  truth  clearer  in  our  mind,  and  gives  us  a  hold 
upon  it,  as  no  passive  appreciation  of  that  truth 
could  have  done.  So  of  our  experience  in  a  Bible 
class ;  we  may  not  recall  what  the  teacher  said  to  us; 
but  we  always  remember  what  we  said  to  him,  even 
though  it  were  a~tl  utterly  fresh  thought,  to  which 
we  then  gave  expression.  In  opening  our  mind 
from  within,  in  order  to  give  out  our  view  of  this 
truth,  we  made  a  way  for  the  truth's  entrance  into 
depths  which  could  be  disclosed  only  from  within. 

It  is  no  mere  modern  suggestion,  that  there  is  no 
mental  getting  and  holding  except  through,  or  in 
conjunction  with,  some  mental  giving  or  doing. 
This  was  the  idea  of  Socrates,  who,  when  he  would 
teach,  always  began  his  work  by  asking  questions 
of  his  scholars,  in,  order  to  open  their  minds,  and 
to  secure  their  co-work  with  him  in  the  teaching- 
process;  and  who  insisted  that  he  who  would  be  a 


Taking  in  by  Giving  out. 


95 


learner  must  not  merely  be  a  listener  and  a  reciter, 
but  must  also  be  "  one  who  searches  out  for  him- 
self" (z&t&tikos).  Cicero  emphasized  the  same  idea, 
in  another  way,  when  he  said,  Docendo  discimus — "  By 
teaching  we  learn ;  "  by  giving  out  we  take  in.  Roger 
Ascham  gave  the  chief  place  to  that  which  the  scholar 
did  for  himself  in  the  learning-process,  and  so  in 
language-learning  he  counted  the  scholar's  indepen- 
dent translations  as  the  "  most  commendable  of  all 
other  exercises  for  youth."  Montaigne  said :  u  I  am 
sure  a  man  can  never  be  wise  but  by  his  own  wis- 
dom ;  "  and  he  adds,  that  "  Socrates,  and  since  him, 
Arcesilaus,  made  first  their  scholars  speak,  and  then 
spoke  to  them."  Marcel's  conspectus  of  the  systems 
of  the  educational  reformers  whose  work  followed  the 
religious  reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  shows 
that  they  were  agreed  in  requiring  "  the  student  to 
teach  himself,  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
master  [the  teacher],  rather  than  be  taught  by  the 
master,"  on  the  ground  that  "what  the  learner 
discovers  by  mental  exertion  is  better  than  what  is 
told  to  him."  •  John  Locke,  in  his  famous  Essay  on 
Education,  declares,  "It  is  not  enough  to  cram  our- 
selves with  a  great  load  of  collections ;  unless  we 
chew  them  over  again,  they  will  not  give  us  strength 
and  nourishment."  And  President  Porter  says,  of 
the  simple  matter  of  reading — which  might  be  sup- 
posed to  give,  in  itself,  sufficient  mental  activity  to 
secure  instruction :  "  To  remember  what  we  read. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

.Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Teaching 
one's  self. 


96 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Pnx  ess. 


Worth  of  a 

learner's 

effort. 


Keeping  by 
yielding. 


we  must  make  it  our  own  :  we  must  think  with  the 
author,  re-thinking  his  thoughts,  following  his  facts, 
assenting  to  or  rejecting  his  reasonings,  and  entering 
into  the  very  spirit  of  his  emotions  and  purposes." 
Indeed,  in  no  branch  of  learning,  can  any  attain- 
ment be  made  without  the  intelligent  and  active  co- 
work  of  the  learner. 

Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby,  said,  of  the  comparative 
worth  of  a  scholar's  co-work  in  the  teaching-process, 
that  "  the  effort  a  boy  makes  is  a  hundred  times 
more  valuable  to  him  than  the  knowledge  acquired 
as  the  result  of  the  effort."  In  the  same  line,  Her- 
bert Spencer  adds :  "  The  child  should  be  taught  as 
little  as  possible,  and  induced  to  discover  as  much  as 
possible."  As  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  the  schol- 
ars' co-work  to  complete  the  teaching-process,  Pro- 
fessor Hart  says :  "  The  knowledge  [you  have  laid 
before  them]  is  really  not  theirs  until  they  have 
reproduced  it  and  given  it  expression.  .  .  .  They  do 
not  grasp  it  with  a  clear  and  lasting  apprehension  until 
they  have  expressed  it  in  language.  This  is  one  of 
the  laws  of  mental  action.  We  fix  a  thing  in  our 
minds  by  communicating  it  to  another ;  we  make  it 
plain  to  ourselves  by  the  very  effort  to  give  it  expla- 
nation. Or,  to  state  the  matter  still  more  paradoxi- 
cally, we  learn  a  thing  by  telling  it  to  somebody ; 
we  keep  it  by  giving  it  away."  Dr.  Bushnell  phrased 
this  same  truth  bluntly,  in  the  words  :  "  We  never 
know  a  thing  until  we  have  said  it."  And  Professor 


The  University  System. 


97 


Edward  Olney  has  quaintly  suggested  that  the  mind 
of  a  child  is  best  opened  by  way  of  his  mouth. 
"  You  cannot  fill  a  bottle  with  the  cork  in,"  he  says. 
Counting  every  passive  hearer  as  a  corked  bottle,  he 
adds :  "  You  may  pour  your  stream  of  knowledge 
upon  them  till  you  drown  them,  or  till  they  run 
away,  and  not  get  a  drop  of  it  into  them,  because 
their  mouths  are  shut."  The  co-work  ol  the  scholar, 
in  both  thinking  and  speaking,  is  an  essential  element 
in  the  teaching-process. 

It  is  true  that  there  is  a  difference  of  opinion, 
among  educators,  as  to  the  relative  value  of  the 
class-recitation  system,  and  of  the  lecture  system,  in 
the  teaching  of  advanced  scholars  in  our  colleges  and 
universities ;  but  the  most  zealous  advocate  of  the 
lecture  system  would  never  claim  that  the  lecturer 
could  impart  instruction  to  a  body  of  purely  passive 
hearers.  The  idea  of  the  lecture  system  in  the  realm 
of  secular  education,  presupposes  the  readiness  of  all 
the  hearers  to  make  an  intelligent  effort  at  acquiring 
the  knowledge  which  the  lecturer  proffers.  In  this 
effort,  the  taking  of  notes,  and  the  submitting  to  a 
subsequent  examination  on  the  subject  of  the  lecture, 
commonly  play  an  important  part;  and  always  the 
hearer  who  is  found  to  have  learned  most  from  a 
lecture  is  one  who  has  exerted  himself  in  co-work 
with  his  teacher  in  the  teaching-process  by  the  lecture 
plan.  And  this  lecture  system  is  advocated  by  its 
partisans  only  for  advanced  pupils;  for  those  who 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Draw  the 
cork. 


The  Sunday- 
school  is  not 
a  university. 


98 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


A  sure 
mistake. 


Teaching 
and  preach- 
ing. 


are  already  practiced  in  the  habit  of  intelligent  co- 
work  with  their  teachers  in  the  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge. Who  would  think  of  attempting  to  teach  the 
alphabet,  or  the  multiplication-table,  or  the  rules  of 
grammar,  or  the  spelling  and  defining  of  words,  by 
a  series  of  lectures  to  a  group  of  passive  and  listless 
children?  Whoever  would  attempt  this,  would 
simply  make  the  mistake  that  any  teacher  makes, 
who  acts  on  the  supposition  that  he  can  ever  teach 
any  truth  to  any  scholar  without  that  scholar's  co- 
work  with  him. 

Just  here  is  the  difference  between  "  teaching " 
and  "  preaching."  Preaching  can  be  all  on  one 
side;  teaching  cannot  be.  A  man  may  preach 
whether  anybody  hears  or  not.  "No  man  can  teach 
unless  some  one  learns.  A  preacher  can  do  all  the 
work — he  often  does  do  it — in  his  service.  It  takes 
two  to  complete  a  teacher's  exercise.  A  distinguished 
theological  professor  defined  good  preaching  as  "  an 
animated  dialogue,  with  one  part  left  out."  In 
teaching,  there  must  be  some  animation  on  the  part 
of  both  participants  in  the  imaginary  dialogue — or 
in  the  real  one.  Preaching  may  have  a  part  in  teach- 
ing; and,  again,  it  may  not  have:  whether  it  does 
or  not,  depends  upon  the  part  the  hearer  takes  or 
lacks  in  it.  When  God  sent  Ezekiel  as  a  preacher 
to  the  children  of  Israel,  he  said  to  him :  "  I  do  send 
thee  unto  them ;  and  thou  shalt  say  unto  them,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God.  And  they,  whether  they  will 


Venerable  Illustrations. 


99 


hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear  (for  they  are  a 
rebellious  house),  yet  shall  know  that  there  hath 
heen  a  prophet  among  them."  Here  it  was  promised 
that  Ezekiel  should  be  a  preacher  of  the  whole  mes- 
sage of  God,  whether  his  hearers  were  active  or  pas- 
sive ;  but  there  was  no  promise  that  he  should  be  a 
teacher  beyond  causing  his  hearers  to  know  that  he 
had  been  among  them  with  a  proffer  of  instruction. 
That  is  the  mission  of  a  good  many  preachers  at  the 
present  day ;  and  that  is  the  extent  of  their  teaching. 
Their  hearers  know  that  the  preacher  has  been 
among  them ;  and  that  is  all  they  do  know.  This 
must  often  answer  for  a  preacher's  service.  It  ought 
never  to  answer  for  a  teacher's  work. 

Of  course  it  will  be  said,  as  over  against  this  view 
of  truth,  that  even  where  nothing  is  remembered  of 
a  sermon,  or  a  lecture,  or  a  lesson,  the  passive  hearer 
may  have  been  a  gainer  through  the  declaration  of 
truth  to  him.  There  are  two  venerable  stories  which 
are  likely  to  be  recalled  in  this  connection :  the  one, 
of  the  Scotch  woman  who  likened  the  effect  of  her 
pastor's  preaching  to  the  constant  wetting  of  the  new 
linen  she  had  spread  on  the  green  in  the  sunlight, 
and  which  was  all  the  while  bleaching  under  this 
process,  although  the  water  itself  left  no  trace,  save 
in  its  effect;  the  other,  of  the  man's  basket,  with 
which  he  sought  to  dip  up  water  from  a  running 
stream,  and  although  he  brought  away  no  water  by 
his  effort,  his  basket  was  thoroughly  cleansed  thereby. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  the 

hearers 

know. 


Bleaching 
cloth  and 
washing 

baskets. 


100 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  poor 
solace. 


Securing  a 
vacuum  is 
not  the 
teacher's 
work. 


These  two  stories  have  done  stalwart  service  as  men- 
tal opiates  and  as  soul-nervines,  to  several  genera- 
tions of  sluggish  hearers,  who  had  never  learned 
even  a  sermon-text,  or  a  Bible-truth,  in  a  whole 
year's  church  attendance.  Nor  have  they  failed  of 
conveying  a  comforting  lesson  to  many  a  faithful 
preacher,  in  the  assurance  that  he  has  done  good  to 
such  hearers  by  the  influence  of  his  preaching,  even 
though  it  has  had  no  part  in  the  work  of  their  in- 
struction. Moreover,  professed  "teachers"  have 
often  found  solace  in  the  suggestion  of  these  stories, 
although  they  aimed  at  instruction,  rather  than  at 
influence,  in  their  "  teaching." 

Cleansfcig  a  mind  is  one  thing;  furnishing  a  mind 
is  quite  another  thing.  When  a  mind  has  been  so 
influenced  by  preaching,  that  its  interior  is  no  longer 
"  unclean,"  but  "  empty,  swept,  and  garnished,"  then 
comes  the  question:  What  is  to  fill  it?  Are  seven 
evil  spirits  to  find  a  dwelling  there  ?  or  is  it  to  be 
the  abode  of  those  Scriptures  which  are  "  profitable 
for  teaching,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 
tion which  is  in  righteousness :  that  the  man  of  God 
may  be  complete,  furnished  completely  unto  every 
good  work  ? "  The  answer  to  these  questions  de- 
pends, under  God,  on  the  co-work  of  the  teacher  and 
the  scholar  in  the  line  of  the  teacher's  purpose.  A 
bleached  rag  and  an  empty  basket  are  poor  similes 
for  a  well-instructed  scholar.  If  you  are  satisfied 
with  such  work  as  they  suggest,  you  fall  short  of 


Limits  of  Teaching  Power. 


101 


even  an  intelligent  attempt  at  true  teaching.  If  you 
would  have  your  scholar  filled  with  that  which  is 
good,  as  well  as  emptied  of  that  which  is  evil,  you 
must  see  to  it  that  he  and  you  co-work  to  that  desir- 
able end. 

It  takes  two  persons  to  make  one  teacher.  You 
can  be  one  of  them ;  the  other  must  be  a  learner.  If 
you  would  be  more  than  half  a  teacher,  you  must 
have  a  scholar  to  help  you.  Teaching  is  not  the 
only  work  of  a  teacher;  nor  is  teaching  always  a 
teacher's  best  work :  but  nothing  short  of  teaching 
is,  or  ever  can  be,  teaching.  You  may  influence  and 
impress  a  scholar  by  your  character  and  by  your 
words,  without  his  co-work  with  you.  You  cannot 
teach  him,  unless  he  and  you  work  together  to  make 
his  own  that  which  you  would  fain  cause  him  to 
know.  You  may  have  ten  scholars  in  your  class, 
and  influence  and  impress  them  all,  even  while  they 
seem  listless  and  passive;  you  can  teach  only  so 
many  of  the  ten  as  are  learners  through  their  intel- 
ligent appropriation  of  the  truth  you  declare  to  them. 


And  now  we  have  gone  over  what  may  be  called 
the  philosophy  of  the  teaching-process,  including  an 
examination  into  its  nature,  its  essentials,  and  its 
elements.  We  have  seen  that  the  teaching-process 
is  not  the  mere  telling  of  a  thing  which  is  to  be 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Two  halves 
for  oue 
whole. 


A  backward 
look. 


102 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teac-her's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  3. 
Elements 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Philosophy 
of  the  teach- 
ing-process. 


taught,  nor  yet  the,hearing  of  the  recitation  of  a  les- 
son which  was  to  be  learned ;  but,  that  it  is  a  two- 
fold process,  involving  the  work  of  a  teacher  teaching 
and  of  a  learner  learning;  that  it  is,  in  fact,  the 
teacher's  causing  a  learner  to  learn  and  to  know, 
that  which  was  before  known  to  the  teacher  and 
unknown  to  the  learner.  We  have  seen,  moreover, 
that  it  is  essential  to  the  teaching-process,  that  the 
teacher  should  know  the  person  to  be  taught,  the 
lesson  he  would  teach,  and  the  way  in  which  that 
lesson  can  be  taught  by  that  teacher  to  that  learner; 
and  that  the  essential  elements  of  the  teaching-pro- 
cess— which  is  also  the  learning-process — include 
one  thing  on  the  learner's  part,  one  thing  on  the 
teacher's  part,  and  one  thing  by  teacher  and  learner 
in  common  :  attention,  on  the  part  of  the  learner;  a 
making  clear,  by  the  teacher,  of  that  which  he  would 
teach ;  co-work  by  learner  and  teacher  in  the  making 
the  learner's  that  which  the  teacher  has  presented  or 
pointed  out.  This  being  shown,  the  next  point  to 
consider  is,  the  method  of  the  teaching-process ;  or, 
how  to  do  that  which  must  be  done  in  order  to  the 
beginning,  to  the  progress,  and  to  the  completion,  of 
this  process  of  teaching  and  learning. 


THE  TEACHING  PROCESS. 


4.    ITS  METHODS. 


PRELIMINAR  Y  JSTA  TEMENT. 

IT  is  one  thing  to  show  what  ought  to  be  done. 
It  is  quite  another  thing  to  show  how  to  do  that 
which  needs  doing.  And  it  is  commonly  a  great 
deal  easier  to  show  the  former  than  to  show  the 
latter,  in  any  department  of  mental  or  moral  activity. 
Thus,  it  is  easier  to  convince  an  intending  teacher, 
that  he  has  special  needs  in  one  line  or  another,  than 
it  is  to  make  plain  to  him  just  how  those  needs  can 
be  supplied.  Yet  a  knowledge  of  the  science  of  the 
teaching-process  must  be  supplemented  by  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  art  of  the  teaching-process,  in  order  to 
make  it  of  practical  value  to  the  would-be  wise 
worker  in  this  line  of  endeavor. 

It  being  admitted  that  the  teaching-process  is  two- 
fold; that  it  requires  a  teacher  and  a  learner;  that 
there  is  something  for  the  learner  to  do  on  his  part, 
something  for  the  teacher  to  do  on  his  part,  and 
something  for  teacher  and  learner  to  do  conjointly; 


PART!. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  What 
and  the  Ho\v 


104 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  three- 
fold 
method. 


that  the  learner  must  give  his  attention;  that  the 
teacher  must  make  clear  what  he  would  impart  to 
the  learner ;  that  teacher  and  learner  must  co-work 
in  securing  to  the  learner  the  truths  which  the 
teacher  has  to  give  him, — then  comes  up,  with 
new  force  and  freshness,  the  practical  question,  How 
can  the  teacher  secure  not  only  his  own  part,  but  his 
scholar's  part,  in  the  process  of  teaching  ? 

Unless  a  teacher  can  be  helped  in  the  how  to  do 
it,  he  will  receive  little  gain  from  being  reminded  of 
what  he  ought  to  do.  And  a  study  of  the  method 
of  the  teaching-process  must  include  the  method  of 
preparing  for  that  process,  the  method  of  proceeding 
in  that  process,  and  the  method  of  testing  the  results 
of  that  process.  To  this  study  we  will  now  devote 
ourselves.  And  first  we  will  consider  how  to  study 
one's  scholars  for  their  teaching. 


Knowing  Human  Nature. 


105 


METHODS:  IN  PREPARATION. 


HOW  TO  STUDY  YOUR  SCHOLARS  FOR  THEIR 
TEACHING. 

Difficulty  of  Showing  how  to  Know  Human  Nature ;  The  Science  and 
the  Art  of  Teaching;  Color-blind  Teachers;  Old  Sermons  for  New 
Hearers  ;  Aptness  to  Teach  ;  The  Child  and  the  Chinaman  ;  Know- 
ing a  Child's  Character ;  Knowing  his  Surroundings ;  Knowing  his 
Attainments;  How  to  Compass  All  This. 

WHILE  it  is  obvious  that  a  knowledge  of  one's 
scholars  individually  is  of  the  very  first  importance, 
as  preliminary  to  any  intelligent  attempt  at  the  wise 
teaching  of  those  individual  scholars,  it  must  also  he 
admitted  that  no  phase  of  preparation  for  the  teach- 
ing-process is  so  difficult  of  explanation  as  the  method 
of  studying  one's  scholars  individually.  It  may  even 
he  said  that  no  attainment  of  knowledge  is  more 
difficult  to  a  person  who  is  unfitted  for  its  pursuit  hy 
his  natural  qualities  and  traits ;  that  none,  indeed,  is 
more  hopeless  to  one  thus  unqualified, — than  an 
understanding  of  the  peculiar  and  distinctive  charac- 
teristics of  the  several  individuals  of  a  common  group. 
The  "  knowledge  of  human  nature  "  which  is  involved 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  difficult 
task. 


106 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Knowing  the 
sciencp,  but 
not  the  art. 


in  such  an  attainment,  is  by  no  means  a  universal 
possession  of  mankind;  nor  is  the  sure  and  simple 
method  of  obtaining  that  knowledge,  to  be  pointed 
out  to  all  with  ease. 

Many  a  man  can  master  all  the  difficulties  of  the 
subject-matter  of  his  teaching,  while  he  is  yet  utterly 
incompetent  to  gain  any  fair  knowledge  of  those 
whom  he  would  be  glad  to  teach,  and  who  sadly  need 
teaching  at  the  very  point  of  his  knowledge.  Many 
a  man  of  great  learning  proves  a  signal  failure  in  his 
eiforts  at  teaching,  because  of  his  failure  to  so  know 
his  scholars  as  to  adapt  his  teachings  to  their  par- 
ticular requirements.  Even  though  he  masters  all 
the  philosophy  of  the  teaching-process,  he  may  yet  be 
unable  to  put  into  practice  the  very  principles  which 
he  recognizes  as  the  basis  of  all  correct  action  in  the 
premises.  At  the  opening  session  of  an  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  American  Philological  Association,  the  dis- 
tinguished president  began  his  annual  address  by  a_ 
modest  disclaimer  of  any  fitness  for  popular  speech 
on  his  part ;  reminding  his  hearers  that  the  members 
of  that  association  claimed  an  acquaintance  with  the 
science  of  language,  but  not  with  its  art.  A  knowl- 
edge of  the  science  of  the  teaching-process  is  very 
well  to  begin  with,  in  the  teachers'  institute,  or  in  the 
normal  class  ;  but  when  it  comes  down  to  the  lesson- 
hour  in  Sunday-school  work,  a  teacher  must  be 
familiar  with  the  art  of  teaching,  or  he  will  fail  of 
I  being  a  teacher. 


A  Discouraged  Chaplain. 


107 


A  hopeless  lack  of  the  ability  to  see  differences  in 
individual  scholars,  is  the  cause  of  the  uniform  fail- 
ures of  some  good  men  and  good  women  to  be 
teachers,  however  "much  they  want  to  teach,  and 
however  often  they  are  given  a  trial.  They  have 
warm  hearts  and  full  heads,  but  their  eyes  are  dull. 
They  have  a  touch  of  color-blindness.  They  see  no 
real  difference  in  the  shades  which  tinge  the  minds 
and  dispositions  of  demure  and  of  restless  scholars  ; 
of  fun-loving  boys  and  girls,  and  of  heavy-hearted 
men  and  women ;  of  those  who  have  been  home- 
taught  in  Christian  truth,  and  of  those  who  were 
destitute  of  all  religious  instruction  before  they 
entered  the  Sunday-school.  To  such  teachers,  a 
class  is  a  class,  and  a  scholar  is  a  scholar;  and  every 
lesson  is  to  be  taught  in  one  and  the  same  way. 
And  to  every  scholar  and  every  class,  such  a 
teacher  is  no  teacher  at  all ;  nor  ever  can  he  be, 
without  a  new  creation.  I  knew  an  army  chaplain, 
in  the  civil  war.  He  was  a  good  man,  and  he  knew 
a  great  deal — about  some  things.  He  understood 
the  Bible ;  but  he  did  not  understand  human  nature. 
He  was  sure  that  the  army  was  a  hopeless  field  of 
effort  for  a  chaplain.  The  men  did  not  like  his  ser- 
mons, he  said ;  and  lest  it  should  be  thought  that 
the  trouble  was  with  the  sermons,  he  was  careful  to 
inform  me  that  they  were  the  same  sermons  which 
he  had  preached  to  advantage  in  his  old  home- 
church.  He  had  picked  out  (from  his  barrel)  a 


PARTI. 

The 

Teacher', 
Teachii  ; 

Work.  . 

CHAPTEi: 

Method. 

of  the 

Teach  i-.. 

Proces- 


Color-bli- 
teacheis. 


Old  sermons 
to  new 
hearers. 


108 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Apt  to  teach. 


Seeing  men 
as  trees 
walking. 


stock  of  sermons  which  his  well-indoctrinated  pew- 
holders  had  listened  to  with  interest  in  the  days  of 
piping  peace;  but  now,  as  he  read  them  to  these 
soldier-boys,  who  had  new  experiences  and  new 
needs,  the  old  phrasing  of  truths  which  were  for  all 
time,  proved  poorly  suited  to  a  congregation  such  as 
he  had  never  had  before.  And  there  are  teachers  in 
the  Sunday-school  who  are  no  wiser  than  was  that 
army  chaplain,  as  to  the  varying  requirements  of 
separate  and  individual  hearers  out  of  the  common 
race  of  man. 

The  Bible  clearly  distinguishes  between  those  who 
are  u  apt  to  teach,"  and  those  who  are  not;  and  it 
requires  a  recognition  of  this  difference  in  the  choice 
of  men  for  the  work  of  teaching.  Those  men  who 
are  by  nature  incapacitated  from  discerning  differ- 
ences in  their  fellow-beings,  can  never  be  "  apt  to 
teach."  Such  persons  will  not  be  materially  helped 
by  any  counsel  as  to  the  methods  of  studying  scholars 
individually  in  order  to  their  wise  teaching.  No  set 
of  directions  can  supply  a  natural  defect  in  the  pow- 
ers of  discriminating  observation,  and  so  enable 
every  person  to  be  a  skilled  teacher,  any  more  than 
a  set  of  directions  can  make  every  man  a  poet,  a 
musician,  or  a  painter.  He  who  looking  about  upon 
his  fellows  in  the  light  of  full  day  can  only  "  see  men 
as  trees  walking,"  needs  something  more  than  nor- 
mal-class instruction  to  fit  him  to  be  a  teacher  of  his 
fellows  separately.  The  hands  that  can  work  miracles 


An  Individual  Scholar. 


109 


must  be  laid  upon  his  eyes  before  lie  can  see  u  every 
man  clearly."  But  to  those  who  have  ordinary 
capacity  as  observers  of  their  fellows,  and  ordinary 
fitness  for  teaching,  there  may  be  a  gain  in  consid- 
ering some  practical  suggestions  as  to  wise  methods 
of  studying  scholars  individually,  with  a  view  to  their 
individual  teaching;  for  study  and  practice  work 
wonders  in  this  line,  even  if  they  cannot  work  actual 
miracles. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  important  to  have  in  mind 
the  fact,  that  in  all  study  of  your  scholars  individu- 
ally, you  are  to  look  for  those  characteristics  and 
peculiarities  which  individualize  your  scholars  from 
other  scholars,  which  differentiate  them  from  their 
immediate  fellows.  This  is  a  truth  which  is  too  often 
lost  sight  of  in  counsel  to  teachers  concerning  the 
study  of  their  scholars.  Teachers  are  told  to  con- 
sider the  common  characteristics  of  childhood,  and 
to  study  the  psychological  phenomena  of  the  youth- 
ful mind.  When  they  have  done  all  this,  they  are 
likely  to  know  a  great  deal  about  children  in  gen- 
eral, but  nothing  about  one  child  in  particular ;  yet 
as  a  practical  matter,  you  can  never  teach  children 
in  general,  unless  by  teaching  child  by  child  in  par- 
ticular. Not  the  average  child  of  the  child-world  as 
a  whole,  but  the  individual  child  who  is  in  your 
class,  must  be  studied  by  you  in  preparation  for  his 
successful  teaching  by  you. 

John  Burroughs,  in  his  delightful  essays  on  wood- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


No  such 
child  as  thia 
one. 


110 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Seeing  the 
difference. 


Knowing  a 
Chinaman. 


craft,  dwells  on  the  necessity  of  having  an  eye  to 
"the  rare  and  characteristic  things"  in  the  trees  and 
birds  of  the  forest,  if  one  would  learn  the  truth  about 
these  separately.  He  says :  "  The  phrenologists  do 
well  to  locate,  not  only  form,  color,  weight,  etc.,  in 
the  region  of  the  eye,  but  [also]  a  faculty  which  they 
call  individuality — that  which  separates,  discrimi- 
nates, and  sees  in  every  object  its  essential  character. 
. . .  The  sharp  eye  notes  specific  points  and  differences ; 
it  seizes  upon  and  preserves  the  individuality  of  the 
thing."  Then  he  tells  of  various  letters  to  him,  ask- 
ing his  aid  in  identifying  the  species  of  birds  newly 
seen  by  his  correspondents.  In  one  case  an  extended 
description  would  be  given,  without  a  single  peculiar 
characteristic  of  the  particular  bird  in  question ;  every 
feature  named  being  one  which  is  common  to  a  whole 
class  of  birds.  In  another  case,  the  few  points  noted 
were  all  peculiar  and  individual,  enabling  him  to 
recognize  the  bird,  so  as  to  locate  its  species  unhesi- 
tatingly. 

There  is  a  similar  difference  in  the  way  in  which 
different  persons  look  at  their  fellow-beings  to  observe 
them  individually.  Suppose  you  were  desirous  cf 
identifying  a  Chinaman,  in  the  Chinese  quarter  of 
one  of  our  American  cities.  You  might  say,  that  he 
was  of  medium  height  and  weight;  that  he  had  a 
yellowish  complexion,  black  hair  drawn  back  and 
braided  in  a  long  cue,  and  black  eyes  of  almond 
shape ;  that  he  had  a  smooth  face,  with  an  expression 


Your  Scholars  as  They  Are. 


Ill 


"  child-like  and  bland ; "  that  he  wore  a  white  cotton 
tunic,  blue  trowsers,  white  stockings,  and  a  peculiar 
shoe,  of  a  dark  cloth  "  upper  "  and  a  thick  sole  with 
a  white  edge.  There  would  be  no  lack  of  particulars 
in  this  description ;  but  would  it  in  any  way  individu- 
alize this  Chinaman  from  other  Chinamen  ?  On  the 
other  hand,  suppose  you  were  to  note  that  the  man 
had  a  scar,  as  from  an  old  cut,  on  his  left  cheek ;  or 
that  his  right  eye  was  partly  closed,  ia  contrast  with 
his  left;  or  that  he  limped  slightly  on  his  right  side ; 
or  that  he  had  a  slight  stammer  in  his  speech.  Would 
not  each  of  these  items  aid  to  individualize  him,  as 
none  of  the  items  in  the  other  description  would  ? 
And  this  illustrates  the  distinction  between  observing 
a  child  merely  as  a  child,  merely  as  a  person  of  the 
great  child- wo  rid,  and  observing  the  child  as  an  indi- 
vidual, with  those  characteristics  and  peculiarities 
which  distinguish  him  from  others  in  the  world  in 
which  he  lives  and  moves. 

To  take  any  one  scholar  of  your  class,  as  a  specimen 
subject  of  inquiry:  Is  he  exceptionally  bright?  excep- 
tionally dull  ?  or  of  average  intelligence  ?  Is  he  fa- 
mi  liar  with  the  main  points  of  the  Bible  story, 
through  his  home  instruction?  or  is  he  ignorant  of 
that  record,  except  as  he  has  been  taught  it  in  the 
Sunday-school  ?  Is  he  forward  of  speech,  ready  to 
tell  all  that  he  knows,  and  readier  to  talk  than  to 
listen  ?  or  is  he  quiet  and  disinclined  to  speak  out, 
even  where  he  is  well  informed  on  a  subject  ?  Is  he 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Distinctive 
items. 


How  about 

your 
scholars? 


112 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


You  can 
know. 


Week-day 
Btudy  of 
bcholars. 


of  a  kindly  disposition,  or  of  a  surly  one  ?  of  a  gen- 
erous, manly  nature,  or  of  a  selfish  and  unlovely 
spirit?  Is  he  of  a  tender  heart,  quick  to  respond  to 
any  appeal  to  the  feelings  ?  or  is  he  of  a  cold  and 
sluggish  temperament,  not  likely  to  be  swayed  by 
his  emotions  ?  Is  he  easily  influenced  by  others?  or 
has  he  marked  independence  of  character?  These 
questions,  and  many  a  similar  one,  can  be  answered 
by  yourself,  after  a  brief  period  of  observation  of  the 
scholars,  separately  and  in  comparison  with  each 
other,  in  your  class ;  and  their  answering  will  go  far 
toward  giving  you  a  knowledge  of  your  scholars  in- 
dividually. 

But  there  are  many  things  which  one  needs  to  know 
about  his  scholars,  which  cannot  be  learned  in  the 
class,  or  on  Sundays ;  they  must  be  ascertained  during 
the  week,  and  in  or  near  the  scholars'  homes,  or  places 
of  employment;  or,  again,  where  the  teacher  and  the 
scholar  are  by  themselves,  in  freer  social  intercourse. 
Has  the  scholar  a  good  home,  or  a  wretched  one  ? 
Is  he  the  child  of  godly  parents?  or  has  he  no  parents 
living, — or  worse  than  none  ?  Is  he  at  school ;  and, 
if  so,  what  is  his  standing  there?  Has  he  some  out- 
side employment;  and,  if  so,  is  he  faithful  or  slack  in 
its  duties?  Do  his  home  and  business  and  social 
surroundings  work  with  the  influence  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  or  against  it?  How  does  he  spend  his  even- 
ings, or  his  other  spare  time?  To  what  kind  of 
reading  does  he  incline  ?  What  temptations  seem 


Weighed  in  the  Balances. 


113 


most  to  beset  him?  What  would  seem  to  be  the 
strongest  inducements  to  his  well-doing  ?  What  are 
his  prevailing  tastes  and  ambitions  and  weaknesses? 
Some  of  these  things  are  to  be  learned  by  one's  own 
observation ;  others  of  them  may  be  better  learned 
through  inquiry  of  the  scholar's  parents,  or  employ- 
ers, or  neighbors,  or  companions ;  or  again  by  free 
chats  with  the  scholar  himself,  as  he*  is  seen  at  his 
home,  or  his  place  of  occupation,  or  by  the  wayside ; 
or  in  the  teacher's  home,  when  he  is  invited  there. 
The  scholar  is  already  known  to  some  persons.  Why 
should  his  teacher  be  unable  to  ascertain  his  true 
measure  ?  Emerson  says,  of  the  sure  disclosure  of 
one's  character  arid  characteristics,  under  the  observa- 
tion of  his  sharp-eyed  fellows:  "  The  world  is  full  of 
judgment-days,  and  into  every  assembly  that  a  man 
enters,  and  in  every  action  that  he  attempts,  he  is 
gauged  and  stamped.  In  every  troop  of  boys  that 
whoop  and  run  in  each  yard  and  square,  a  new  comer 
is  well  and  accurately  weighed  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days,  and  stamped  with  his  right  measure,  as  if  he 
had  undergone  a  formal  trial  of  his  strength."  What 
should  hinder  a  teacher  from  ascertaining  the  com- 
mon judgment  which  has  been  passed  upon  his 
scholar,  by  those  who  know  that  scholar  best  ? 

Then,  as  to  the  scholar's  present  attainment  in 
knowledge,  as  to  his  present  standards  of  conduct, 
and  as  to  his  present  personal  beliefs.  Some  scholars 
know  a  great  deal  less  than  their  teachers  suppose ; 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Many 
judgment- 
days. 


Personal  be- 
liefs. 


114 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Doctrines 
and  words. 


A  wet 

blanket 

needed. 


others  know  a  great  deal  more.  Some  have  correct 
views  at  one  point,  and  quite  incorrect  views  at 
another  point.  Skillful  questioning  must  be  directed 
to  the  ascertaining  of  the  truth,  in  each  case.  "When 
Paul  asked  certain  disciples  at  Ephesus :  u  Did  ye 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost  when  ye  believed  ?  "  their 
answer  was,  "  Nay,  we  did  not  so  much  as  hear 
whether  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given."  That  showed 
Paul  the  special  need  of  those  scholars  ;  and  he  was 
thus  enabled  to  minister  to  them  individually.  Simi- 
lar questioning  to  this,  would  bring  out  as  great 
need,  and  as  unsuspected  lack,  in  many  of  those 
who  are  under  religious  instruction  at  the  present 
time.  This  is  as  true  in  morals  as  it  is  in  doctrine. 
If  a  scholar  is  a  total-abstainer,  but  is  inclined  to 
profanity,  he  ought  to  be  addressed  differently  from 
a  scholar  who  is  pure  and  reverent  in  speech,  but  is 
inclined  to  tippling.  If  he  is  not  honest,  not  truth- 
ful, not  regardful  of  the  Sabbath,  not  inclined  to 
honor  his  parents,  the  teacher  ought  to  know  tnat 
fact,  as  preliminary  to  his  wise  teaching.  It  is  a 
"familiar  story,  of  a  colored  brother  saying  to  a  new 
preacher,  before  his  first  sermon  :  "  Jus'  please  don't 
talk  nuffin  'bout  stealin',  here  to-day.  Dat  would  be 
a  wet  blanket  on  dis  whole  congregation."  A  "  wet 
blanket "  has  its  place  in  putting  out  a  smothering 
fire,  as  well  as  in  keeping  ice  from  melting ;  and 
preacher  or  teacher  ought  to  have  such  a  knowledge 
of  the  condition  of  his  class  or  of  his  congregation  as 


Seeing  and  Doing  Duty. 


115 


would  enable  him  to  know  if  now  is  the  time  for  that 
agency.  If,  again,  the  hospital  visitor  had  noticed 
that  the  patient,  whose  pale  face  so  interested  him, 
had  lost  both  his  legs,  he  would  hardly  have  given 
him  that  tract  against  dancing,  as  the  story  goes. 

To  pursue  this  study  of  the  individual  scholar  as 
preliminary  to  his  intelligent  teaching,  brings  no 
small  demand  on  the  teacher's  time  and  ability;  but 
there  is  no  possibility  of  an  intelligent  teaching  of 
the  individual  scholar  without  the  results  of  such 
study.  Study  of  this  kind  is  done  by  the  best  Sun- 
day-school teachers;  it  ought  to  be  done  by  all. 
As  to  its  importance  and  practicability,  the  truth  is 
concisely  stated  by  a  Baptist  teacher  in  Philadel- 
phia, who  says,  "  With  a  class  of  twenty-five  scholars, 
and  a  busy  daily  life,  I  find  time  to  know  generally 
each  one's  daily  work,  and  pretty  largely  their  personal 
needs,  so  that  Sunday  finds  me  prepared  for  them 
separately,  as  well  as  for  them  as  a  class.  The  way 
I  do  it  is  twofold  :  first,  by  considering  its  duty  quite 
as  important,  and  its  work  quite  as  necessary,  as  my 
ordinary  business;  secondly,  by  encouraging  the 
scholars  to  consult  me  as  to  their  daily  troubles,  as 
well  as  their  spiritual  needs." 

He  who  cannot  find  time,  and  find  a  way,  to  study 
his  scholars  individually,  will  not  have  time,  and  will 
not  know  a  way,  to  teach  his  scholars  intelligently. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Finding  time 
for  all  this. 


The  way  of 
success. 


116 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


The  need  of 

knowing 

how. 


n. 

HOW  TO  STUDY  A  LESSON  FOR  ITS 
TEACHING. 

What  Solomon  and  Paid  would  Need  ;  What  Studying  a  Lesson  Means  ; 
Having  a  Plan  of  Study  ;  Old-Time  Plans  and  Later  Ones;  The 
Order  of  True  Study;  Not  Attempting  Too  Much;  Testing  One's 
Preparation. 

NEXT  to  a  knowledge  of  the  individuals  to  be 
taught,  comes  a  knowledge  of  the  special  truth  to  he 
taught  those  individuals.  How  can  that  knowledge 
be  obtained  ?  To  know  a  thing  so  as  to  be  able  to 
teach  it,  requires  special  preliminary  study.  How 
to  study  a  subject,  in  preparation  for  its  teaching,  is 
an  art — an  art  with  which  every  teacher  ought  to  be 
familiar,  but  of  the  very  existence  of  which  very 
many  "  teachers  "  seem  not  to  be  aware. 

It  is  not  a  question  of  spiritual  preparedness  for 
the  office  of  a  teacher,  but  one  of  special  preparation 
for  a  particular  act  of  teaching,  that  is  here  involved. 
If  a  man  were  as  experienced  as  Moses,  as  wise  as 
Solomon,  as  devoted  as  Paul,  and  with  all  the  reli- 
gious fervor  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  combined, 
he  could  not  teach  what  he  did  not  know ;  nor  could 


The  Art  of  Studying. 


117 


he  know  what  he  had  not  learned — learned  in  some 
way,  by  direct  teaching  from  God,  or  by  intelligent 
study  under  the  guidance  of  God.  And  if  a  man 
comes  short  of  this  high  standard,  and  is  not  specifi- 
cally inspired,  he  certainly  is  in  no  less  need  of 
knowing  how  to  study,  in  order  that  he  may  teach. 

Here  is  the  lesson — that  is,  here  is  the  portion  of 
the  Book  which  comprises  the  lesson — which  you  are 
to  prepare  to  teach  to  your  class;  now  study  it. 
"  Study  it !  what  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  "  Sure 
enough!  what  does  that  injunction  mean?  "What 
is  it  to  study  a  lesson  ?  Is  it  to  memorize  its  words  ? 
To  have  its  words  in  the  memory  would  enable  you 
to  repeat  those  words ;  but  that  would  neither  ensure 
your  imparting  any  idea  to  your  scholars,  nor  yet 
your  having  any  ideas  which  you  would  like  to  im- 
part. The  words  may  be  meaningless  to  you  and 
to  others.  Yet  the  words  of  a  lesson  are  of  no  small 
importance  in  covering,  or  in  conveying,  the  truths 
of  a  lesson.  The  words  must  be  looked  at,  must  be 
understood,  must  be  well  considered,  or  the  truths 
of  the  lesson  cannot  be  ascertained.  What,  then, 
beyond  this,  is  wanted,  in  the  study  of  a  lesson,  with 
a  view  to  knowing  that  lesson  one's  self,  and  to  pre- 
paring to  cause  others  to  know  that  lesson  ? 

Are  the  bald  facts,  or  the  simple  doctrinal  state- 
ments, of  the  lesson-text,  to  be  learned,  in  order  that 
they  may  be  taught  ?  How  far  is  the  context  of  the 
lesson  to  be  considered  as  an  element  in  its  study 


PART  I- 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  is 
studying  ? 


Your  need. 


118 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PARTI. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


The  knowl- 
edge a 

teacher  must 
seek. 


Having  a 
plan  01*  study. 


for  teaching  ?  What  outside  helps  to  an  illustration 
and  enforcement  of  the  lesson  teachings  are  indis- 
pensable to  thorough  lesson-study  ?  How  are  we  to 
get  below  the  surface  of  the  text,  and  arrive  at  deeper 
meanings  and  profounder  truths,  that  ought  to  be 
brought  to  light  in  its  teaching  ?  What  is  wanted 
in  the  study  of  a  lesson  as  preliminary  to  its  teach- 
ing, which  is  not  essential  in  its  study  for  one  who 
is  not  called  to  teach  it  ?  These  questions,  and  many 
another,  perplex  almost  every  one  who  is  called  to 
study  wisely  in  order  that  he  may  teach  effectively. 
What  aid  can  be  given  to  their  answering  ? 

A  plan  of  study  is  an  important  factor  in  the  art 
of  study,— pre-eminently  in  the  art  of  study  as  a 
preparation  for  teaching.  Study  must  be  pursued 
according  to  a  system,  in  order  to  be  successful 
study.  Many  a  teacher  gives  time  enough  to  his 
lesson-study  to  be  thoroughly  prepared  for  his  les- 
son-teaching, yet  lacks  preparation,  at  the  end, 
because  his  study  lacked  a  plan  from  its  beginning. 
No  one  plan  of  study,  ho.wever,  is  alike  helpful  or 
desirable  for  all  teachers.  The  only  gain  from  the 
statement  of  any  plan,  is  by  way  of  illustration  and 
suggestion.  Every  teacher  who  studies  to  advan- 
tage, studies  according  to  some  plan,  whether  that 
plan  has  been  formulated  to  his  own  consciousness, 
or  is  pursued  instinctively.  Any  teacher  who  would 
know  how  to  study  to  better  advantage  than  at  pres- 
ent, may  be  a  gainer  by  considering  the  methods  of 


A  Plan  as  a  Factor. 


119 


study  which  others  have  found  to  work  well  in  their 
experience,  even  though  none  of  these  plans  should 
prove  just  the  one  for  himself. 

Skeleton  plans  of  study  are  by  no  means  a  modern 
invention  of  fanciful  Sunday-school  workers.  They 
are  of  extreme  antiquity ;  and  they  have  always  had 
both  use  and  abuse.  Emanuel  Deutsch,  in  his  essay 
on  the  Talmud,  tells  of  the  formal  methods  employed 
by  the  JewishRabbins,  or  teachers  of  the  law,  in  their 
study  of  the  Scriptures,  after  the  Babylonish  captiv- 
ity. "  In  the  quaintly  ingenious  manner  of  the 
times,"  he  says,  "  four  of  the  chief  methods  were 
found  in  the  Persian  word  Paradise,  spelt  in  the 
vowelless  Semitic  fashion,  PRDS.  Each  one  of 
these  mysterious  letters  was  taken,  mnemonically, 
as  the  initial  of  some  technical  word  that  indicated 
one  of  these  four  methods."  P,  for  peshat,— the 
simple,— aimed  at  the  simple  understanding  of  words 
and  things  in  the  text.  R,  for  remes,— a  hint,^-took 
up  the  suggestions  or  indications  of  seemingly  super- 
fluous or  unimportant  letters  and  signs  in  the  text. 
D,  for  derws^,— searching  after,— was  the  homiletic 
application  of  that  which  had  been,  to  that  which 
was  and  would  be.  S,  for  sod,— secret  or  mystery,— 
included  the  metaphysical  and  visionary.  These 
four  ancient  methods  might  stand  for  our  modern 
methods:  of  considering  the  words  of  the  simple  text 
as  it  stands ;  of  finding  hints  of  other  meanings  in 
the  words  and  phrases  of  the  text;  of  looking  at 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Rabbinical 
methods. 


The  old  and 
the  no,w 


120 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  five  Ws, 


the  ethical  teachings  and  the  practical  applications 
of  the  several  declarations  of  the  text;  of  searching 
for  spiritual  suggestions  and  symbolisms  in  the  facts 
and  doctrines  of  the  text.  And  that  mnemonic  plan 
of  the  Rabbins  might  almost  seem  to  be  the  latest 
outgrowth  of  a  Chautauqua  Assembly. 

"What?  Why?  What  of  it?  "  is  a  plan  of  study  of 
alliterative  methods  for  the  teacher,  emphasized  by 
Professor  W.  C.  Wilkinson,  not  as  original  with  him- 
self, but  as  of  venerable  authority.  "  It  is,  in  fact/'  he 
says,  "  an  almost  immemorial  orator's  analysis.  First, 
the  facts ;  next,  the  proof  of  the  facts ;  then  the  conse- 
quences of  the  facts."  This  analysis  has  often  been 
expanded  into  one  known  as  "  The  Five  W's :  *' 
"When?  Where?  Whom?  What?  Why?"  Hereby 
attention  is  called,  in  the  study  of  any  lesson :  to  the 
date  of  its  incidents ;  to  their  place  or  locality ;  to  the 
person  speaking  or  spoken  to,  or  to  the  persons  intro- 
duced, in  the  narrative;  to  the  incidents  or  statements 
of  the  text ;  and,  finally,  to  the  applications  and  uses  of 
the  lesson  teachings.  President  J.  M.  Gregory  has 
suggested  the  word  BIBLE,  as  supplying  a  good 
form  of  analysis  in  study  preparatory  to  the  teaching 
of  a  Bible  lesson,  somewhat  after  the  old  rabbinical 
method  already  referred  to.  For  example:  "B — Book 
in  which  the  lesson  is  found,  as  the  Gospel  by  Luke  or 
John;  its  date,  writer,  contents,  object.  I — Inten- 
tion of  the  lesson ;  the  included  facts,  and  the  inter- 
pretation of  these  facts.  B — Blessings  and  benefit? 


Plan  Better  than  None. 


121 


jo  be  gained  by  learning  and  obeying  this  lesson. 
L — Losses  likely  to  follow  from  a  failure  to  learn 
and  obey.  E — Exhortation,  experiences,  and  exam- 
ples." Then,  again,  there  is  the  well-known  skeleton 
analysis,  given  prominence  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Ii. 
Vincent,  as  "The  Four  P's  and  the  Four  D's." 
According  to  this,  a  teacher  should  examine  the 
Parallel  Passages  of  Scripture  bearing  on  the  lesson ; 
should  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  Persons, 
Places,  Dates,  and  Doings  covered  by  or  included  in 
the  lesson;  and  should  consider  the  Doctrines  de- 
clared and  the  Duties  involved  in  the  lesson-teachings. 
Any  one  of  these  plans  of  study  would  be  better 
for  a  teacher  than  no  plan;  but  no  one  of  them 
fairly  covers  the  art  of  wise  study,  or  is  in  itself  a 
sure  and  sufficient  guide  to  fitting  and  sucessful 
study.  Their  chief  value  is  in  indicating  various 
directions  of  research.  One  difficulty  with  them  all 
is,  that  while  they  seem  to  give  limitations,  they 
really  open  up  fields  which  are  limitless.  Let  a  man 
attempt  to  study  exhaustively  any  Bible  lesson  ac- 
cording to  one  of  these  plans,  and  he  would  find, 
before  he  had  gone  far,  that  "  art  is  long  and  time 
is  fleeting."  He  would  be  exhausted  long  before 
his  subject  was.  Suppose,  for  example,  that  the 
"  When  "  of  that  lesson  included  the  day  and  date 
of  our  Lord's  crucifixion ;  or  the  "  Where  "  included 
the  location  of  Bethsaida,  of  Calvary,  or  of  the  land 
of  Zuph;  or  the  "Whom"  included  Melchizedek  or 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


No  plan  to  be 

followed 

blindly 


122 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PA&T  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  true 
order  of 
study. 


Job, — how  much  longer  than  Methuselah  would  the 
man  have  to  live  before  he  had  reached  the  bottom 
of  that  lesson  ?  The  exhaustive  study  of  any  ques- 
tion is  always  exhaustless,  and  is  practically  out  of 
the  question.  Unless  a  teacher  realizes  this  truth, 
he  is  not  prepared  to  begin  the  wise  study  of  a 
lesson  as  preparatory  to  its  teaching,  according  to 
any  plan. 

The  words  of  the  lesson  must  first  be  considered  in 
a  teacher's  studying;  then,  their  connected  mean- 
ing; then,  the  legitimate  inferences  from  their 
declaration;  first,  the  simple  text  of  the  lesson; 
then,  the  plain  teachings  of  the  text;  then,  the 
applications  of  those  teachings.  In  this  studying,  a 
reference  Bible  with  maps,  a  concordance,  an  Eng- 
lish dictionary,  and  a  Bible  dictionary,  are  indis- 
pensable ;  unless,  in  the  lack  of  these,  one  has  the 
substance  of  their  information  on  points  at  issue  in  a 
well-arranged  lesson-help.  What  is  here  said  ?  What 
is  the  obvious  teaching  of  this  ?  What  is  the  bear- 
ing of  all  this  on  my  scholars  ? — are  the  questions 
which  every  teacher  must  consider  all  the  way 
along,  as  he  studies  a  lesson  with  a  view  to  its  teach- 
ing. Or,  in  a  compacter  form,  it  amounts  to  this : 
What  is  there  in  this  lesson  that  I  ought  to  teach 
my  scholars,  and  that  I  can  hope  to  teach  them  ? 
And  this  latter  question  must  have  in  mind,  for  its 
answering,  the  individual  scholars  as  they  are  known 
individually  to  the  teacher.  The  special  portion  for 


Selecting  from  the  Bill  of  Fare. 


123 


"Willy,  the  special  portion  for  Mary,  and  the  special 
portion  for  each  of  the  other  scholars,  must  be 
looked  for  and  recognized  in  the  lesson,  in  order  to 
complete  the  process  of  "  rightly  dividing  the  word 
of  truth  " — which  is  the  duty  of  every  teacher  who 
"  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed  "  of  his  failure  in  his 
attempted  work. 

There  is  a  vast  deal  more  in  every  lesson  than  you 
can  hope  to  teach  your  scholars ;  or  than  you  ought 
to  try  to  teach  them.  It  is  right  for  you  to  know 
more  than  you  attempt  -to  cause  your  scholars  to 
know.  Goethe,  indeed,  says:  "Nothing  is  worse, 
than  a  teacher  who  knows  only  as  much  as  he 
has  to  make  known  to  the  scholar."  A  forget- 
fulness  of  this  truth  stands  in  the  way  of  good 
teaching  by  some  who  study  hard,  and  who  gather 
material  enough  on  every  lesson  for  a  dozen  classes, 
and  for  a  month  of  Sundays;  and  then  are  troubled 
because  they  cannot  teach  it  all.  The  question, 
therefore,  is  not,  What  do  you  know  of  this  lesson? 
bat,  What  are  you  to  cause  your  scholars  to  know 
of  this  lesson?  Until  you  can  answer  this  ques- 
tion explicitly,  in  view  of  your  knowledge  of  your 
scholars,  and  out  of  your  experience  in  their  teach- 
ing, you  are  not  yet  through  with  your  indis- 
pensable study  as  preparatory  to  your  teaching 
of  the  lesson  now  in  hand.  Your  study  must 
include  a  great  deal  more  than  an  acquaintance 
with  all  the  multitudinous  dishes  on  the  extended 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 
Process. 


You  cannot 
teach  all  you 
know. 


124 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Name  your 
points. 


bill  of  lesson-fare.  You  are  to  decide  which  of  these 
dishes  are  suited  to  your  particular  scholars,  with 
their  tastes  and  needs  as  you  know  them;  for  unless 
you  do  this  you  will  cram  your  scholars  without 
feeding  them,  or  they  will  famish  while  you  are  ex- 
patiating on  the  merits  of  dishes  which  are  wholly 
beyond  their  reach. 

A  good  way  of  both,  perfecting  and  testing  your 
preparatory  study  of  a  lesson,  as  a  teacher,  is  for  you 
to  state  to  yourself  in  a  few  words  the  points  of  your 
proposed  lesson-teaching.  Some  one  has  facetiously 
said,  that  in  the  average  church  prayer-meeting  he 
would  like  the  privilege  of  calling  out  at  the  close 
of  a  rambling  speaker's  remarks,  according  to  the 
custom  in  deliberative  bodies,  "  Will  the  gentleman 
be  so  good  as  to  submit  his  proposition  in  writing  ?  " 
In  other  words, What  have  you  been  saying  ?  What 
point,  if  any,  were  you  trying  to  make  ?  It  would 
be  well  for  every  teacher  to  ask  himself,  before  he 
sets  out  for  his  class,  What  am  I  now  ready  to  teach 
my  scholars — to  cause  my  scholars  to  know — to-day? 
His  preliminary  study  should  be  made  with  that 
question  before  him  for  ultimate  answer. 


The  Third  Requisite. 


125 


m. 

HOW  TO  PLAN  FOR  A  LESSON'S  TEACHING. 

Necessity  of  a  Teaching  Plan;  Tantalus  and  his  Successors;  Bugbear 
Methods  of  Teaching ;  Being  Scientific  without  Knowing  it;  Vari- 
ous Lights  from  one  Crystal ;  Ananias  and  Sapphira;  A  Beginning, 
a  Middle,  and  an  Ending ;  Keeping  within  Time;  One  Teacher's 
Way  of  Doing. 

EVEN  when  the  teacher  knows  clearly  the  scholars 
whom  he  would  teach,  knows  them  individually 
according  to  their  peculiar  capabilities  and  needs; 
and  knows,  also,  the  lesson  he  would  teach  to  those 
scholars,  knows  it  as  suited  to  their  condition  and 
requirements ; — he  is  not  yet  prepared  to  begin  its 
teaching.  The  essential  requisites  of  a  teacher's 
preparation  for  the  teaching-process  have  been  shown 
to  be  threefold,  including  a  knowledge  of  one's 
scholar,  a  knowledge  of  one's  lesson,  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  wise  teaching  methods.  When  two  of  these 
essentials  are  secured,  the  third  must  be  added,  to 
make  the  others  of  any  avail.  Unless  a  teacher 
knows  how  to  teach  the  lesson  he  has  learned,  to 
the  scholar  who  needs  to  learn  it,  that  teacher  is  as 
yet  incapable  of  being  the  teacher  of  that  lesson  to  that 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


The  third  or 
none. 


126 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Thirsty 
Tantalus. 


scholar.  Hence  a  plan  of  teaching  is  as  needful  as 
a  plan  of  study,  in  one's  wise  preparation  for  the 
teaching-process. 

A  thirsty  man  craves  drink.  Another  man  knows 
the  thirsty  one's  need,  and  obtains  a  bucket  of 
water.  When  the  full  bucket  and  the  empty  man 
are  near  each  other,  the  thirst  is  not  yet  quenched. 
If  no  way  is  provided  by  which  the  water  in  that 
bucket  can  be  transferred  to  the  parching  throat 
which  longs  for  it,  the  thirsty  man  is  as  sure  to 
famish,  as  if  the  bucket  were  still  empty.  That  is 
the  very  idea  of  the  fate  of  the  fabled  Tantalus.  He 
was  always  thirsty,  and  the  water  which  might  have 
quenched  his  thirst  was  always  near  him  ;  but  there 
was  no  way  of  bringing  together  the  water  and  his 
longing  lips.  He  was  always  hungry,  and  luscious 
clusters  of  fruit  always  swung  temptingly  before  his 
eyes,  just  beyond  his  reach.  It  is  tantalizing  to  have 
a  full  teacher  and  an  empty  scholar  within  reach  of 
each  other,  without  any  knowledge  on  the  teacher's 
part,  of  a  way  by  which  he  can  give  to  the  scholar 
that  with  which  he  is  full  and  running  over.  Know- 
ing how  to  cause  the  scholar  whom  the  teacher 
knows,  to  know  the  truth  which  the  teacher  knows, 
can  change  that  which  is  tantalizing  into  that  which 
is  satisfying.  And  to  this  end  every  teacher  must 
plan  in  his  lesson-preparing. 

Teaching  methods  are  numerous,  and  it  is  often 
the  case  that  an  intending  teacher  is  confused  and 


Various  Teaching  Methods. 


127 


hindered  by  the  instruction  which  is  proffered  him 
in  the  teaching-manuals,  or  in  the  normal-class  sylla- 
buses, concerning  these  various  methods,  under  their 
technical  designations,  as  "  didactic  teaching,"  "pic- 
torial teaching,"  "  illustrative  teaching,"  "  catecheti- 
cal teaching,"  or,  "  interrogative  teaching,"  "  ellip- 
tical teaching,"  u  analytical  teaching,"  "  object 
teaching,"  and  the  like.  It  is  not  necessary,  how- 
ever, that  the  ordinary  teacher  should  enter  into  the 
study  of  these  various  methods  by  themselves,  in 
order  to  enable  him  to  have  a  wise  plan  of  teaching 
his  own  scholars,  within  his  limits  of  knowledge,  and 
theirs.  All  that  he  needs  to  know  is,  how  he  pro- 
poses to  teach  his  lesson  to  his  scholars.  This  much 
he  does  need  to  know. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  maybe  well  to  say  just  here, 
that  all  the  methods  of  teaching  above  named  are 
very  simple,  and  that  nearly  all  of  them  are  made 
use  of,  in  almost  every  hour  of  lesson-teaching,  by 
the  better  sort  of  teachers  in  our  Sunday-schools;  in 
many  cases  without  a  thought  on  the  teachers7  part 
that  they  are  following  any  such  scientific  method. 
"Didactic  teaching"  is  going  ahead  to  tell  your 
scholars  what  you  understand  to  be  the  truths  of  the 
lesson.  Most  teachers  do  quite  enough  in  that  line. 
"Pictorial  teaching  "is  the  giving  such  details  of 
description,  of  any  scene  or  event  in  the  narrative  of 
the  lesson,  as  to  bring  it  vividly  before  the  mind's 
eye  of  the  scholar,  as  a  living  reality.  Many  a 


PART  L 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 


Technical 

teaching 

methods. 


Letting  oat 
the  secret. 


128 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Have  your 
own  plan. 


teacher  does  that  effectively.  "  Illustrative  teaching" 
is  making  a  free  use  of  "  likes,"  and  "  similes,"  and 
other  illustrations  in  the  line  of  the  lesson.  That  is 
a  very  common  way,  with  good  teachers.  "  Cate- 
chetical teaching,"  or  "  interrogative  teaching,"  is 
asking  questions  and  expecting  answers,  either  with 
or  without  the  book.  Some  teachers  think  that  that 
is  the  only  way  of  teaching.  "  Elliptical  teaching  "  is 
starting  off  with  a  few  words  of  the  lesson  text,  or 
of  a  statement  of x  some  lesson  truth,  and  then  stop- 
ping at  a  word  which  the  scholar  is  expected  to  sup- 
ply. This  is  the  common  form  of  prompting  a  for- 
getful scholar,  or  of  "  giving  him  a  start,"  as  well  as 
heing  a  method  of  holding  the  attention  and  testing 
the  knowledge  of  younger  scholars.  "Analytical 
teaching,"  is  finding  a  plan,  or  a  systematic  order  of 
truths,  in  the  lesson,  and  bringing  out  the  connected 
parts  in  their  relations  to  each  other  and  to  the  com- 
mon whole.  "  Object  teaching,"  is  where  some  visi- 
ble object  is  taken  as  the  starting  point  and  the  cen- 
tre of  the  lesson  teaching.  So,  it  will  be  seen  that 
there  is  not  much  that  need  be  confusing  in  these 
methods,  if  we  look  at  them  in  their  practical  bear- 
ings, rather  than  as  purely  technical  classifications. 
But  it  is  of  less  importance  what  is  your  plan  of  lesson 
teaching,  than  that  you  have  a  plan,  and  that  you  have 
it  well  in  mind  before  you  begin  your  teaching. 

When  the  facts  and  truths  of  the  lesson  are  fairly 
in  your  own  mind,  you  are  to  look  it  over  carefully, 


Choosing  for  your  Scholars. 


129 


with  a  view  to  its  teaching  to  your  class.  You  must 
decide  what  is  its  main  or  central  truth,  and  what 
minor  or  incidental  truths  are  linked  with  the  chief 
one  in  the  lesson.  Then  comes  the  question,  whether 
it  is  the  main  truth  or  one  of  the  minor  truths  which 
is  most  important  for  your  scholars,  or  which  is  best 
suited  to  their  capabilities  and  needs.  If  it  were 
purely  biblical  exposition  that  you  were  attempting, 
you  would  be  in  duty  bound  to  lay  open  the  lesson 
just  as  it  stands ;  but  as  you  are  set  to  be  a  teacher 
to  particular  scholars,  and  as  you  cannot  make  them 
masters  of  all  truth,  you  are  privileged  to  rightly 
divide  the  word  for  their  benefit,  teaching  nothing 
as  from  that  word  which  is  not  to  be  found  there,  but 
making  a  choice  from  the  many  things  which  that 
word  contains,  according  to  the  requirements  and 
ability  of  those  whom  you  are  teaching.  It  is  an 
important  step  of  progress  in  your  teaching-plan, 
when  you  have  fixed  in  your  mind  the  outline  of  the 
lesson  as  you  desire  to  present  it  to  your  scholars. 
There  is  rio  Bible  lesson  which  does  not  have  possi- 
bilities of  various  applications  to  various  classes. 
Any  Bible  truth  is  like  a  many-sided  crystal ;  turn 
it  which  way  you  will,  one  of  its  facets  will  send  a 
ray  directly  to  the  holder's  eye.  It  is  for  you  to 
decide  which  face  of  the  crystal  is  to  be  turned 
toward  your  scholars,  in  the  teaching  of  any  lesson 
you  are  preparing. 

Take,  for   example,  the    story   of  Ananias  and 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTEB  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Make  your 
own  choice. 


130 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


According  to 
their  several 
ability. 


Begin  right. 


Sapphira.  For  mature  and  intelligent  Christians, 
the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  here  rebuked, 
may  be  the  central  truth  emphasized  in  the  lesson- 
teaching.  Others  may  be  taught  by  this  lesson  that 
God  never  accepts  a  part  for  the  whole,  in  Christian 
surrender.  Those  who  are  not  avowed  disciples,  can 
learn  from  it  that  God  not  only  notes  all  their  con- 
duct, but  that  he  reads  their  very  hearts.  Others, 
again,  can  be  taught  from  the  same  lesson,  the  utter 
folly  of  combining  against  God;  of  hoping  to  suc- 
ceed in  sin,  because  hand  is  joined  in  hand  for  a 
common  transgression.  And,  finally,  the  youngest 
can  be  made  to  see  from  this  story,  that  God  knows 
when  they  tell  a  lie,  and  that  a  lie  is  a  great  sin  in 
his  sight.  Unless  you  were  to  know  beforehand 
which  of  these  lessons  you  would  leave  in  the  minds 
of  your  scholars,  you  would  not  be  prepared  to  teach 
effectively  any  one  of  the  many  lessons  which  this 
story  contains. 

With  your  lesson-plan  decided  on,  how  will  you 
start  your  lesson  teaching?  In  what  way  will  you 
begin  with  your  scholars  ?  Much  depends  on  your 
first  words  in  your  class.  Are  you  to  begin  by  a 
question  ?  If  so,  with  what  question  ?  Are  you  to 
begin  with  a  statement  ?  If  so,  what  is  it  ?  It  need 
hardly  be  said,  just  here,  that  all  that  I  am  saying  is 
with  the  understanding  that  you  are  not  to  make  use 
of  a  question-book  or  a  lesson-paper  in  the  class. 
Such  an  agency  may  be,  it  often  is,  a  help  to  the 


Preparing  your  Questions. 


131 


teacher's  or  the  scholar's  study;  but  it  is  never  to  be 
made  use  of  in  the  teaching-process.  Neither  teacher 
nor  scholar  should  have  it  in  hand  during  the  lesson- 
hour.  The  questions  of  the  question-book  or  of  the 
lesson-paper  may  be  suggestive  to  you ;  but  they  are 
not  to  be  followed  slavishly,  or  closely.  You  are  to 
decide  on  questions  which  are  suited  to  your  free 
intercourse  with  your  scholars.  You  will  do  well 
to  think  over  your  questions  in  advance,  if,  indeed, 
you  do  not  write  them  out — not  for  memorizing,  but 
as  a  guide  to  your  thoughts  and  your  phrasing,  in 
planning  for  your  teaching.  It  is  a  matter  of  his- 
tory, that  when  Dr.  Chalmers  was  Professor  of  Moral 
Philosophy  in  St.  Andrew's  University,  he  had  a 
Sunday-school  of  the  poorer  class  of  children  in  his 
neighborhood,  and  that  he  was  accustomed  to  write 
out  carefully  the  questions  he  would  ask  those  chil- 
dren on  the  Sunday's  lesson.  If  you  think  that  you 
have  no  need  to  plan  as  carefully  as  this  for  the 
teaching-process,  week  by  week,  is  it  because  you 
know  more  than  Dr.  Chalmers  about  wise  teaching 
methods  ?  or,  because  you  know  less  ?  Some  of  our 
best  teachers  do  write  out  their  lesson-questions  in 
advance;  and  this  it  is  which  seems  to  make  them 
especially  free  and  unconstrained  in  their  lesson 
questioning ;  for  having  a  well-defined  plan  in  one's 
mind  in  advance,  is  a  great  help  to  freedom  of  man- 
ner and  of  method  in  the  teaching-process. 

You  will  do  well  to  look  up  illustrations  which 


PAKT  1. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Prepare  your 
questions. 


132 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 


Find  illustra- 
tions. 


A  plan  need 
not  bind  you. 


may  help  to  throw  light  on  the  lesson  truths  you 
are  to  teach.  If  you  can  hring  these  out  of  your 
own  experience,  they  will  have  an  added  force ;  and 
the  simpler  and  morer  natural  are  the  illustrations, 
the  greater  their  help  will  be  in  making  the  truth 
clear.  Books  of  illustrations,  or  scrap-books  of  your 
own  filling,  may  serve  you  a  good  turn  in  this  line 
of  preparing.  And  the  Bible  itself  should  be  made 
to  aid  in  explaining  and  enforcing  the  Bible,  by  the 
use  of  other  incidents  in  the  Bible  story  which  can 
fairly  be  compared  with  this  one,  or  which  can 
properly  be  made  to  supplement  the  lessons  of  this. 
All  this  work  is  to  be  done  with  an  eye  to  your 
scholars'  capabilities  and  needs;  not  to  your  own. 
What  you  are  now  after  is  the  teaching  of  the  lesson, 
not  its  learning.  Not  what  will  make  the  lesson 
clear  and  forceful  to  your  mind,  but  what  will  ex- 
hibit and  press  home  its  truths  to  your  scholars, 
should  be  the  object  of  your  search.  Your  methods 
of  application,  as  well  as  of  questioning  and  of  illus- 
tration, ought  to  be  well  considered  by  you  in  ad- 
vance. Yet  all  this  preparation  will  in  no  way 
interfere  with  your  freedom  to  turn  hither  and 
thither  in  your  lesson-teaching,  as  the  tastes  or  needs 
of  your  scholars  may  seem  to  render  desirable.  If 
you  were  to  start  out  with  those  scholars  for  a 
pleasant  walk  in  the  country,  the  fact  that  you 
knew  the  region  before  you  and  about  you,  and 
that  you  had  a  plan  for  the  main  direction  of  the 


Knowing  How  to  Close. 


133 


walk,  certainly  need  make  you  no  less  ready  to 
tarn  out  of  that  way,  or  to  stop  at  one  point  or 
another  along  its  course,  at  the  fancy  of  your  young 
companions ;  yet  in  spite  of  your  turnings  and 
stoppings  you  might  be  making  sure  progress  in  the 
line  of  your  original  planning. 

The  end  of  your  lesson-teaching  ought  to  be  in 
your  mind  from  the  beginning.  The  lesson's  close 
is  of  prime  importance  in  fixing  the  impressions  of 
the  lesson  as  a  whole.  The  opening  of  the  lesson- 
teaching  is  likely  to  settle  the  question  of  the 
scholars'  interest  in  the  lesson  exercise.  The  close 
of  the  lesson-teaching  is  likely  to  settle  the  scholars' 
remembrance  of,and  profit  from,that  lesson-teaching. 
John  Bright  is  reported  as  saying,  that  whenever  he 
makes  a  speech  he  has  a  care  to  know  in  advance 
how  he  is  to  begin  that  speech.  He  commonly 
knows  what  is  to  be  the  substance  of  that  speech ; 
although  circumstances  may  change  much  of  its 
tenor  or  its  phrasing  as  it  proceeds.  But,  whatever 
play  there  may  be  at  any  other  point,  he  always 
knows,  before  he  begins  a  speech,  how  he  is  going 
to  end  it.  There  is  sound  wisdom  in  that  idea ; 
every  teacher  would  do  well  to  profit  by  its  sugges- 
tions. 

In  order  to  be  sure  of  ending  your  lesson-teaching 
according  to  your  pre-arranged  plan,  you  must  be 
sure  of  planning  to  get  your  lesson-teaching  within 
the  time  assigned  to  it.  And  here  is  where  many  a 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Pro  ess. 


Look  to  the 
end. 


Keep  within 
time. 


134 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Leave  some- 
thing unsaid 


The  danger 
of  overdoing. 


teacher  constantly  fails  as  a  teacher,  and  where  he 
fails  to  perceive  that  he  does  fail.  Perhaps  he  even 
congratulates  himself  on  being  "  so  full  of  his  sub- 
ject "  that  he  can  never  bring  his  lesson-teaching 
within  the  time  assigned  to  it.  But  the  main  ques- 
tion in  the  teaching-process  is  not  as  to  the  teacher's 
fullness,  but  as  to  his  filling  power ;  his  power  of 
filling  his  scholars  wisely.  To  fill  his  scholars  wisely 
requires  an  ending  as  well  as  a  beginning.  One  of 
the  most  important  lessons  for  a  Sunday-school 
teacher  to  learn  is,  that  he  can  never  exhaust  the 
simplest  Bible  passage ;  that,  however  much  time  he 
takes,  and  however  much  he  has  studied,  there  is 
always  vastly  more  to  be  got  out  of  that  passage  than 
he  has  yet  seen  in  it.  And  another  lesson,  hardly 
less  important  for  him  to  learn  is,  that  he  must  get 
through  with  his  teaching-work  on  any  Bible  passage 
in  the  time  allotted  to  it;  that  whether  the  lesson 
text  be  much  or  little,  and  the  time  for  its  class 
teaching  be  less  or  more,  it  is  his  duty  to  bring  his 
teaching- work  within  the  teaching  time. 

The  question  of  getting  through  with  a  Bible  lesson 
in  a  given  time  has  really  little  or  nothing  to  do 
with  the  length  of  the  lesson  itself.  One  verse 
might  occupy  a  teacher  for  a  life-time.  And  a  com- 
plete lesson  could  be  taught  about  the  whole  Bible 
in  ten  minutes.  A  teacher  has  no  more  right  to 
expect  to  serve  out  to  his  class  all  that  he  finds  in 
a  lesson,  than  a  guest  at  a  first-class  hotel  has  to  eat 


A  Pattern  Teacher. 


135 


every  dish  that  he  finds  noted  on  the  dinner  bill  of 
fare,  from  soup  to  confectionery.  Suppose  the  guest 
has  but  ten  minutes  before  him  for  his  dinner,  and 
finds  sixty-three  separate  dishes  on  the  bill  of  fare, 
shall  he  complain  of  the  superabundance  of  dishes, 
or  decide  which  of  the  entire  list  to  take  for  his  lim- 
ited meal  ?  A  teacher  ought  to  know  before  he  goes 
to  his  class,  how  many  minutes  he  can  give  to  the 
lesson-teaching.  Then  he  ought  to  decide  what 
points  he  can  bring  out  from  that  lesson  in  the  time 
he  has  for  it.  If  he  is  a  good  teacher,  he  will  bring 
his  teaching  well  toward  a  close  before  his  time  is 
up.  If  he  fails  of  doing  this,  he  is  so  far  a  failure  as 
a  teacher,  and  he  so  far  gives  evidence  of  his  lack  of 
teaching  power. 

All  this  is  practicable.  All  this  is  within  the  range 
of  many  a  good  teacher's  ordinary  practice.  Let  me 
give  a  single  illustration  out  of  many  which  might 
be  cited.  I  knew  a  Bible-class  teacher,  who  was 
highly  successful  in  keeping  up  the  interest  of  his 
scholars  in  their  lesson-study,  and  in  causing  them 
to  know  what  he  had  for  them  to  learn.  He  ques- 
tioned the  members  of  his  class  freely.  His  ques- 
tions seemed  remarkably  pointed  and  appropriate. 
He  always  managed  to  cover  the  whole  lesson  in  the 
teaching-hour.  His  scholars  were  commonly  prompt 
and  intelligent  in  answering.  How  was  all  this 
brought  about  ?  or  was  it,  indeed,  that  he  was  "  a 
born  teacher,"  and  did  all  this  without  any  effort? 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  way  one 
man  does  it. 


136 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  diversity 
of  gifts. 


When  I  questioned  him,  he  explained  to  me  his 
method,  and  then  the  whole  thing  was  clear.  In 
the  first  place,  that  teacher  studied  his  lesson  and 
also  studied  his  scholars.  He  gave  on  an  average 
more  than  an  hour  a  day  to  this  work,  all  the  week 
through,  although  he  was  a  man  in  active  business. 
That  enabled  him  to  know  something  about  what 
he  was  to  teach,  and  whom.  But  when  he  was  full 
himself,  he  began  anew  to  plan  for  the  filling  of  his 
scholars.  He  deliberately  took  up  each  verse  of  the 
lesson,  and  decided  in  his  own  mind  what  questions 
he  would  ask  upon  that.  He  was  not  willing  to  trust 
to  the  thought,  or  the  impulse,  of  the  teaching-hour, 
for  the  shaping  of  such  questions  as  would  best  bring 
out  the  truths  of  the  lesson.  His  study  of  his  ques- 
tions enabled  him  to  know  how  to  teach  to  others 
that  with  which  he  had  already  filled  his  own  mind. 
And  in  this  question-plan ning  he  was  careful  to  con- 
sider the  different  members  of  his  class,  and  to  decide 
what  questions  were  to  be  asked  of  each.  One  scholar 
was  always  ready  for  the  geography  of  the  lesson ; 
another  for  its  chronology;  another  for  its  spiritual 
truths;  another  for  its  practical  applications;  yet 
another  would  only  answer  "  Yes  "  or  u  !Nb,"  but 
would  enjoy  a  chance  to  do  thus  much.  And,  again, 
there  were  those  who  could  not  safely  be  questioned 
at  all.  So  he  apportioned  mentally  his  questions, 
including  the  assignment  of  related  Bible  texts  to  be 
found  and  read  in  the  class.  This  enabled  him  to 


The  Secret  of  Good  Teaching. 


137 


know  how  to  bring  his  scholars  into  active  co-work. 
Then  he  was  ready  for  teaching.  If  more  persons 
were  willing  to  do  such  work  as  this,  there  would  be 
more  "born  teachers"  in  the  world;  more  teachers 
in  the  Sunday-school  who  could  teach. 

When  you  know  your  scholars,  when  you  know 
your  lesson,  and  when  you  know  how  you  are  to 
teach  that  lesson  to  those  scholars,  then,  and  not 
before,  you  are  ready  to  try  your  hand  at  lesson- 
teaching. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

ofthe 
Teaching 

Process. 


Then  you  arc 
ready. 


138 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  tho 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  teacher's 
responsi- 
bility. 


METHODS :  IN  PRACTICE. 
I. 

HOW  TO  GET  AND  HOLD  YOUR  SCHOLARS9 
ATTENTION. 

The  Teacher  Responsible  for  his  Scholar's  Duty;  Forcing  Another  & 
Inclinations;  The  Eyes  and  the  Tongue;  Lessons  from  the 
Pulpit;  Begin  Right;  The  Blackboard,  Seen  and  Unseen;  A 
Sheep-shearing  Utilized ;  Holding  as  Well  as  Getting. 

ALL  due  preparation  having  been  made  for  the 
teaching-process, — the  teacher  being  familiar  with 
his  lesson,  familiar  with  his  scholars,  and  famil- 
iar with  his  plan  of  teaching, — then  comes  the 
duty  of  putting  in  practice  the  methods  which  have 
been  decided  on.  The  teacher  and  his  scholars  are 
face  to  face  for  the  teaching  work.  Now  for  the 
teaching-process  in  practice. 

To  begin  with,  How  can  a  teacher  get  and  hold 
his  scholars'  attention?  Now,  while  this  would 
seem  to  be  laying  on  a  teacher  the  performing  of  a 
scholar's  duty,  it  is  important  for  a  teacher  to  under- 
stand, both  first  and  last,  that  he  has  a  responsibility 
for  making  his  scholars  attend  to  his  teachings.  A 
gentleman  who,  although  he  was  a  communicant  in 


Working  Against  Odds. 


139 


an  evangelical  church,  was  commonly  more  inter- 
ested in  his  week-day  business  than  in  his  Sabbath 
duties,  bought  a  pair  of  fine  horses  on  a  certain 
Saturday.  When  Sunday  morning  came,  he  went 
to  church,  and  tried  to  fix  his  thoughts  on  the 
preacher's  words,  but  those  horses  ran  away  with 
his  thoughts.  His  wife  perceived  this ;  and  after  the 
service  she  said  to  him,  "  You  were  thinking  more 
of  your  new  horses  than  you  were  of  the  sermon, 
this  morning."  "  I  know  it,"  he  said.  "  Well,  do 
you  think  that  was  right  ?  "  she  added.  "  No,"  was 
his  frank  reply.  "  I  don't  think  it  was  right,  and 
I'm  sorry  for  it.  But,  after  all,  I  don't  think  I  was 
the  only  one  at  fault  in  the  matter.  I  tried  to  give 
attention  to  our  pastor,  but  I  couldn't.  I  think  he 
ought  to  have  been  able  to  pull  me  away  from  those 
horses."  And  there  was  a  sense  in  which  that  gen- 
tleman had  the  right  of  it,  in  his  way  of  looking  at 
a  preacher's  duty.  In  that  sense,  a  teacher  ought 
to  recognize  his  responsibility  for  getting  and  hold- 
ing his  scholars'  attention,  when  he  has  them  before 
him,  even  though  a  pair  of  horses  should  be  pulling 
in  the  opposite  direction. 

A  young  man  applied  to  a  city  dry-goods  jobber 
for  a  position  as  salesman.  "  Can  you  sell  goods  ?" 
was  the  merchant's  first  question.  "  I  can  sell  goods 
to  any  man  who  really  wants  to  buy,"  was  the  quali- 
fied rejoinder.  "  Oh,  nonsense  \ "  said  the  merchant. 
u  Anybody  can  sell  goods  to  a  man  who  really  wants 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Pulling 
harder  than 
a  pair  of 
horses. 


Selling  to 
those  who 
don't  want 
to  buy. 


140 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  harder, 
the  better. 


Beelzebub's 
way. 


to  buy.  I  want  salesmen  who  can  sell  goods  to  men 
who  don't  want  to  buy."  And  there  is  a  similar  want 
to  this  merchant's,  in  the  field  of  Sunday-school 
teaching.  It  is  comparatively  an  easy  matter  to 
teach  those  who  really  want  to  be  taught ;  to  hold 
the  attention  of  those  who  are  determined  to  be  atten- 
tive. But  there  is  a  duty  of  getting  and  holding  the 
attention  of  scholars  whose  thoughts  are  flying  in 
every  direction  save  that  of  the  lesson  of  the  day,  yet 
who  show,  by  their  presence  in  the  class,  that  they 
are  not  determinedly  unwilling  to  yield  their  attention, 
if  the  teacher  can  give  them  sufficient  inducements  in 
that  direction.  The  teacher's  work  would  be  shorn 
of  half  its  power,  and  all  its  glory,  if  it  were  limited 
to  the  benefit  of  those  scholars  who  came  to  the  class 
with  the  readiness  and  ability  to  do  their  full  duty 
without  the  help  of  a  wise  and  determined  teacher. 
How  to  win  and  hold  attention  when  attention  is  not 
voluntarily  proffered,  is,  therefore,  a  question  of  prime 
and  practical  importance  in  every  teacher's  sphere. 

There  are  different  modes  of  catching  attention. 
Milton  says  of  Beelzebub  in  the  Council  of  Pande- 
monium : 

"  With  grave 

Aspect  he  rose,  and  in  his  rising  seemed 
A  pillar  of  state.  .  .  . 

His  look 

Drew  audience  and  attention  still  as  night 
Or  summer's  noontide  air." 

There  are  teachers  whose  rising  in  their  place,  or 


Starting  Right. 


141 


whose  bending  forward  in  their  chair,  commands 
attention  as  instantly  and  as  surely  as  ever  a  ringing 
voice  commanded  "  attention"  on  the  parade-ground; 
and  again  there  are  teachers  whose  mere  presence 
arid  looks  are  not  so  effective  over  the  imps  in  their 
class-Pandemonium. 

"  They  sny  the  tongues  of  dying  men 
Enforce  attention  like  deep  harmony." 

Baxter  had,  perhaps,  this  saying  of  Shakespeare  in 
mind,  when  he  said  of  his  personal  preaching : 

"  I  preached  as  never  sure  to  preach  again ; 
And  as  a  dying  man  to  dying  men." 

A  teacher  may  on  an  occasion  he  so  earnest,  and  so 
Absorbed  and  inspired,  that  his  every  word  shall  en- 
force the  attention  of  his  scholars  as  if  it  were  spoken 
with'  his  dying  breath.  But,  as  a  rule,  teachers  do 
Qot  feel  that  they  are  dying ;  nor  would  it  be  well 
for  them  to  feel  so.  And  again,  a  very  large  share 
of  scholars,  as  we  find  them,  are  by  no  means  disposed 
to  put  themselves  under  a  teacher  whose  sands  of 
life  are  nearly  run  out,  and  who  seeks  to  give  promi- 
nence to  that  fact.  With  teachers  generally,  the 
securing  of  attention  must  be  through  some  other 
agency  than  an  imposing  presence  or  profound  so- 
lemnity. 

In  securing  the  scholars'  attention,  much  depends 
on  the  first  movement,  or  the  first  spoken  words,  of 
the  teacher.  A  hint  in  this  direction  may  be  gained 
from  the  pulpit.  Many  a  preacher  expects  to  attract 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Baxter's  way, 


Making  a 
right  start. 


142 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  Hebrew 
tongue. 


A  strange 
question. 


the  attention  of  his  hearers  by  his  text  itself,  or  by 
the  first  sentence  of  his  sermon.  I  very  well  remem- 
ber the  first  sermon  which  ever  fairly  had  my  close 
attention.  It  was  on  a  Sunday  afternoon,  in  the  vil- 
lage church  of  my  boyhood  home.  I  had  heard 
sermons  before  this ;  but  had  not  given  them  down- 
right attention.  As  I  was  settling  down  in  the 
family  pew  for  a  dreary  and  patient  waiting  until  the 
sermon's  close,  a  strange  preacher  arose  in  the  pulpit. 
He  was  a  Christian  Jew.  In  broken  English  he 
announced  the  words  of  his  text  before  saying  where 
it  was  to  be  found :  "  And  ven  dey  hurd  dat  he 
shpake  in  de  Hebrew  tong  to  dem,  dey  kep  de  more 
silance."  Those  words,  in  their  peculiar  fitness,  pat- 
ness  to  the  man  and  the  hour,  commanded  the  atten- 
tion of  others  in  that  audience  besides  the  one  who 
now  tells  of  them.  It  is  a  familiar  story,  worth 
repeating  just  here,  of  the  quaint  preacher  who 
leaned  over  his  pulpit  cushion  before  beginning  his 
sermon,  and  said  abruptly  :  "  My  friends,  I  am  going 
to  ask  you  a  plain  question ;  but  it  is  a  question  that 
not  one  of  you  can  answer.  In  fact,  it  is  a  question 
that  I  can't  answer  myself.  If  an  angel  from  heaven 
should  come  down  here  now,  and  I  should  ask  him 
this  question,  he  couldn't  answer  it.  It  is  a  question, 
my  friends,  that  not  even  God  himself  could  answer." 
By  that  time  the  preacher  had  general  attention  in 
that  congregation.  Then  came  the  question,  which 
was  thus  made  a  sermon  in  itself:  "What  shall  it 


Getting  What  You  Need. 


143 


profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ? "  Hearers  are  much  the 
same,  whether  in  the  class  or  in  the  pew,  and  skill  in 
starting  so  as  to  secure  attention  is  quite  as  important 
to  the  teacher  as  to  the  preacher. 

It  has  been  often  counseled  as  a  fundamental  rule 
in  teaching,  Never  begin  a  class-exercise  until  you 
have  the  attention  of  every  scholar  in  the  class.  Just 
so  far  as  this  suggests  the  idea  that  you  cannot  begin 
to  teach  any  scholar  until  you  have  his  attention,  the 
rule  is  a  good  one.  And  as  applicable  to  an  ordinary 
class,  where  the  scholars  are  reasonably  well  informed 
and  well  disposed,  and  are  fairly  inclined  to  be 
learners,  it  is  a  rule  without  exceptions.  Wherever, 
indeed,  there  is  an  exception  to  the  rule,  there  is  so 
far  an  exception  to  the  necessity  of  teaching;  for 
teaching  without  attention  is  something  that  never 
was  done,  nor  ever  can  be  done.  If  you  have  a  class 
of  peculiarly  restless  and  mischievous,  or  wayward 
and  willful,  boys  and  girls,  such  as  are  found  in  some 
of  our  mission  schools,  you  may  have  to  try  many 
experiments,  and  to  bear  patiently  and  lovingly,  in 
ycmr  efforts  at  commanding  the  attention  of  all  in 
the  class.  Meanwhile  you  may,  all  unconscious  to 
them  and  to  yourself,  be  winning  their  affection  and 
confidence,  and  in  other  ways  influencing  them  for 
good;  but  you  cannot  be  teaching  them.  Any 
attempt  at  teaching  before  you  have  attention,  is  a 
failure  from  the  beginning. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Attention  to 
begin  with. 


144 


Teaching  and*  Teachers. 


PART  1. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Exciting 
interest. 


Power  of 
chalk. 


Attention  is  an  immediate  result  of  interest.  But 
the  interest  must  be  active  and  vigilant,  not  lagging 
or  dormant.  To  excite  the  eager  interest  of  your 
scholars,  is  just  so  far  to  command  their  attention. 
How  to  excite  their  eager  interest,  is,  therefore,  the 
same  question  as,  How  to  command  their  attention. 
You  cannot  compel  your  scholars'  attention  on  the 
score  of  your  rights,  or  of  their  duty.  But  you  can 
attract  their  attention  by  whatever  arouses  their 
curiosity,  or  otherwise  quickens  and  centres  their 
interest.  And  here  is  where  your  watchful  ingenu- 
ity is  to  be  taxed,  in  the  effort  to  gain  an  indis- 
pensable hold  on  the  scholars  who  are  least  in- 
clined to  give  you  their  attention  voluntarily,  and 
least  able  to  control  their  wills  to  such  an  end. 

Dr.  John  H.  Vincent  has  said  that  one  decided 
gain  in  the  use  of  the  blackboard  is  its  help  in  calling 
attention.  In  illustration  of  this,  he,  on  one  occa- 
sion, took  a  chalk  crayon  between  his  thumb  and 
fingers,  and  turned  with  it  toward  a  blackboard  on 
the  platform,  in  sight  of  all  the  audience.  "Just 
look  here ! "  he  said,  holding  the  chalk  near  the 
board.  Every  eye  in  the  room  was  attent  to  him. 
u  That  is  all !  "  he  said,  as  he  dropped  his  hand  at 
his  side,  and  turned  back  to  the  audience.  "  I  only 
wanted  your  attention."  That  blackboard  exercise 
was  more  effective,  and  less  obnoxious,  than  many  a 
specimen  wrought  out  with  four  colors  of  crayons, 
and  a  board  full  of  hearts  and  crosses  and  anchors 


Methods  of  Gaining  Attention. 


145 


and  crowns,  has  proved  itself.  It  illustrated  a  point, 
and  that  is  more  than  can  be  said  for  the  average 
blackboard  exercise.  Then  there  is  Dr.  J.  M.  Free- 
man's "  invisible  blackboard,"  made  by  movements 
of  the  finger,  tracing  letters  in  the  air,  in  sight  of  the 
watching  scholars.  To  know  what  is  being  put  on 
that  blackboard  demands  the  closest  attention.  And 
here  again  is  an  advantage  in  the  use  of  a  class  slate, 
or  of  a  slip  of  paper,  by  means  of  which  a  teacher 
can  catch  and  fasten  his  scholar's  attention.  The 
methods  of  gaining  attention  are  various.  The 
necessity  of  having  attention  during  the  process  of 
teaching  is  unvarying. 

Methods  of  catching  the  attention  of  the  scholars 
before  beginning  to  teach,  must  naturally  vary  with 
various  classes.  A  simple  call,  "  Now !  "  may  prove 
sufficient  in  a  well-trained  class.  Again,  an  unex- 
pected question  will  do  the  work,  especially  if  it  sets 
each  at  competing  with,  or  watching,  the  others. 
Thus,  for  example :  "  Who  can  tell  me,  to  begin 
with,  how  many  different  places  are  named  in 
to-day's  lesson  ?"  This  question  might  be  followed 
up  by  the  teacher's  showing  a  little  map,  and  ask- 
ing, "  Now,  who  can  point  those  places  out  to  me  ?  " 
"Where  is  Jerusalem?"  "  Where  is  Gaza  ?"  "Well, 
what  have  these  places  to  do  with  to-day's  lesson  ?  " 
Or,  again,  the  question  might  be,  "  Which  of  the 
lessans  in  this  book  of  the  Bible,  so  far,  has  been 
the  most  interesting  lesson?"  And  if  only  one 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process 


Invisible 
blackboards. 


Now,  then ! 


Getting 
scholars  at 
work. 


,    k 


146 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Exciting 
interest. 


A  pull  against 
the  boys. 


scholar  answers,  the  teacher  might  follow,  with  "  Do 
you  all  agree  to  that?"  Yet,  again,  a  teacher 
might  catch  the  attention  of  all  by  showing  a  flower, 
or  a  few  grains  of  wheat,  or  a  coin,  or  a  small  vase, 
or  something  which  he  was  to  use  as  a  help  in  the 
lesson-teaching,  asking,  as  he  showed  it,  "  What  is 
this  ?  "  The  method  employed  must  be  adapted  to 
the  peculiar  characteristics  and  needs  of  the  scholars ; 
and  the  methods,  in  the  same  class,  will  have  to  be 
different  at  different  times.  The  chief  thing  is  to 
see  that  interest  is  excited,  and  that  it  is  excited  in 
the  direction  of  the  proposed  lesson-teaching. 

I  venture  to  illustrate  this  point  by  an  incident 
out  of  my  personal  experience.  I  sat  down,  on  one 
occasion,  as  an  entire  stranger,  before  a  class  of 
untrained  and  fun-loving  little  roughs,  in  a  city  mis- 
sion school,  where  I  had  been  asked  to  teach  a  class 
for  the  day,  as  I  came  into  the  room  as  a  visitor. 
The  lesson  for  that  Sunday  was  in  the  fifty-third 
chapter  of  Isaiah :  that  most  wonderful  of  all  the 
Messianic  prophecies.  But  the  last  thing  in  the 
world  that  had  those  boys'  attention,  was  the  study 
of  prophecy.  Their  attention  was  on  the  living 
present.  They  were  quick-witted  and  wide-awake. 
They  had  their  eyes  on  each  other,  on  the  teacher, 
and  on  the  classes  about  them,  with  some  fun-poking 
at  each  object  of  their  attention  in  its  turn,  in  rapid 
succession;  but  the  lesson — that  was  something  which 
they  had  not  given  attention  to,  and  which  they  did 


Prophecy  Illustrated. 


147 


not  propose  to  look  at  seriously.  One  plan  after 
another,  to  get  their  attention  to  that  lesson,  and  to  my 
words  about  it,  was  tried  by  me  without  any  success. 
I  saw  that  something  out  of  the  ordinary  line  was  a 
necessity.  Finally,  I  spoke  up  quickly,  and  with  a 
show  of  real  interest  in  my  question  :  "  Boys  !  did 
any  one  of  you  ever  see  a  sheep-shearing  ?  "  It  was  a 
question  at  a  venture  in  a  city  school ;  but  one  of  the 
boys  answered  exultingly  :  "  Yes,  I  did  once,  when  I 
was  out  in  the  country."  That  boy  was  interested. 
Now,  to  interest  the  others.  "  Boys  ! "  I  said,  speak- 
ing up  earnestly  to  all  in  the  class.  "  Boys  !  Just 
listen,  all  of  you.  Billy,  here,  is  going  to  tell  about 
a  sheep-shearing  he  saw,  out  in  the  country."  That 
caught  the  attention  of  all,  and  they  bent  forward 
in  curious  interest.  "  Now,  how  was  it,  Billy  ?  " 
"  Why,  one  old  fellow  just  caught  hold  of  the  sheep, 
and  sat  down  on  his  head,  and  another  one  cut  his 
wool  off."  Explicit,  graphic,  and  intelligible  that! 
The  narrator  had  conscious  pride  in  his  results  of 
travel.  The  listeners  were  attent  at  the  recital  of 
something  quite  outside  of  their  range  of  observation. 
"  How  much  noise  did  the  sheep  make  about  being 
sheared  ?  "  "He  didn't  blc?  t  a  bit ! "  "  Well,  now, 
how  does  that  story  agree  with  what  the  Bible  says 
about  sheep-shearing  ?  Just  look  at  this  lesson,  all 
of  you,  and  see  what  it  does  say.  There,  in  the  last 
part  of  the  seventh  verse  :  *  As  a  sheep  before  her 
shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth  not  his  mouth.' ' 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  sheep- 
shearing. 


148 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Having  the 
habit  of 
attention. 


Testing  at- 
tention. 


Attention  was  now  fairly  caught;  caught,  and 
attached  to  a  lesson  not  the  best  suited  to  the  teach- 
ing of  untrained  scholars  in  a  mission-school. 

Giving  attention,  when  one  wants  to  give  it,  as 
well  as  continuing  one's  attention  when  he  has  given 
it,  is  a  matter  of  habit.  And  there  is  hardly  a  habit 
of  mind  more  difficult  of  acquiring  than  just  this 
one.  It  has  been  said,  indeed,  that  a  man's  power 
of  learning,  and  a  man's  power  of  using  his  knowl- 
edge, depend  more  upon  his  ability  of  fixing  and 
continuing  his  attention  on  what  he  sees  or  hears,  or 
on  what  he  would  say  or  do,  than  on  any  other 
mental  habit  or  quality.  Hence  it  is  important  for 
a  teacher  to  watch  for  any  flagging  of  his  scholars' 
attention  while  he  is  teaching,  and  to  be  prompt  in 
recalling  their  attention  when  it  is  intermitted ;  and 
it  is  also  important  to  have  the  scholars  recognize 
their  liability  to  be  inattentive,  even  while  they  think 
their  attention  is  fixed.  Many  a  well-disposed  scholar 
supposes  he  is  attentive  to  the  teaching,  and  his 
teacher  supposes  him  to  be  so,  when  in  fact  his 
attention  is  not  on  the  lesson,  nor  on  its  attempted 
teaching.  Any  fair  test  on  this  point  would  show 
the  rarity  and  the  difficulty  of  fixing  and  continuing 
attention.  Let  a  teacher  ask  quickly  of  one  of  his 
scholars,  by  name,  "  Am  I  correct,  or  not,  in  what  I 
said  just  then?"  and  in  how  many  cases  the  honest 
answer  would  be,  "  Excuse  me ;  but  I  wasn't  giv- 
ing close  attention  to  what  you  said."  Even  in  a 


Holding  What  is  Gained. 


149 


teachers '-meeting  many  a  good  teacher  could  be 
caught  in  inattention,  by  a  question  of  that  sort  from 
the  superintendent.  If  a  teacher  will,  therefore,  be 
in  the  habit  of  putting  questions  to  one  and  another 
of  his  scholars  in  just  that  way,  he  will  either  hold  his 
scholars'  attention  better  than  the  average  teacher, 
or  he  will  show  his  scholars  how  inattentive  they  are 
in  the  habit  of  being. 

Getting  a  scholar's  attention  is  one  thing.  Holding 
a  scholar's  attention  is  quite  another  thing.  Getting 
attention  may  be  the  work  of  a  moment.  Holding 
attention  is  a  continuous  and  prolonged  exercise.  A 
scholar's  attention  may  be  caught  almost  without  his 
consent.  Its  catching  is  the  work  of  the  teacher 
alone.  But  a  scholar's  attention  will  not  long  be 
retained  by  a  teacher  without  his  scholar's  intelligent 
acquiescence.  The  teacher  and  scholar  must  vmrk 
together  to  that  end.  In  this  matter,  also,  however, 
the  teacher  has  a  responsibility  for  the  scholar's 
action;  for  unless  a  teacher  is  able  to  induce  his 
scholar's  co-work  with  him  in  the^  process  of  teach- 
ing, he  so  far  fails  in  a  teacher's  mission.  But,  how 
to  secure  a  scholar's  co-work  in  the  teaching-process, 
is  a  question  to  be  treated  by  itself;  although  the 
three  separate  and  yet  inseparable  elements  of  the 
teaching-process,  attention,  clearness,  and  co-work, 
are  always  as  one  and  as  three,  as  one  in  three  and 
as  three  in  one. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Holding  at- 
tention. 


150 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Clearness, 
the  chief 
thing. 


n. 

HOW  TO  MAKE   CLEAR   THAT  WHICH  YOU 
WOULD   TEACH. 

The  Main  Point  Now ;  Starting  at  the  Bottom;  Working  Patiently ; 
Using  Illustrations;  A  Pattern  Example;  Avoiding  Symbolic 
Language;  Miracles  Simpler  than  Parables;  The  Help  of  the 
Scholars  Eye. 

ATTENTION  being  secured  from  the  scholar,  the 
teacher  has  the  duty  of  showing  why  he  has  sought 
that  attention.  The  teacher  knows  what  truth  he 
woftld  cause  the  scholar  to  know ;  but  the  scholar 
does  not  yet  know  it.  It  is,  therefore,  for  the  teacher 
to  make  clear  to  the  scholar  that  which  he  is  ak 
tempting  to  teach  him.  It  is  not  now  a  question 
for  the  teacher,  whether  the  truth  he  would  teach  is 
the  most  important  truth  in  the  world ;  it  is  enough 
that  it  is  the  truth  he  is  now  trying  to  teach.  Nor 
is  he  just  now  to  strive  at  being  attractive  as  a 
teacher,  or  impressive  as  a  teacher ;  those  qualities 
are  very  well  in  their  way,  but  it  is  clearness,  not 
attractiveness,  or  impressiveness,  which  is  needed  in 
making  a  truth  dear  ;  and  in  order  to  make  a  truth 
clear,  a  teacher's  whole  mind  must,  for  the  time 


Knowing  the  Scholar's  Measure. 


151 


being,  be  set  on  clearness  of  teaching ;  that  must  be 
the  one  thing  he  is  living  for,  while  it  is  the  one 
thing  he  is  attempting. 

To  make  a  truth  clear  to  another  involves — as  has 
already  been  shown — an  understanding  of  that  other's 
mind,  in  its  attainments,  its  limitations,  and  its 
methods  of  working.  The  truth  which  is  already 
clear  in  the  teacher's  mind  must  be  made  clear  to  the 
scholar's  comprehension ;  and  to  this  end  the  truth 
must  be  so  phrased,  so  illustrated,  and  so  applied,  as 
to  be  clear — not  alone  to  the  one  who  imparts  it,  but 
to  the  one  who  is  to  receive  it.  It  is  not  a  question 
whether  a  certain  putting  of  the  truth  ought  to  be 
clear  to  the  learner,  but  whether  it  will  be ;  not, 
whether  that  putting  would  be  clear  to  another 
learner,  to  the  average  learner,  but  whether  it  will  be 
clear  to  this  learner.  The  superintendent  of  a 
prominent  city  Sunday-school  was  greatly  surprised 
at  finding,  in  his  teacher's- meeting,  that  one  of  his 
teachers  actually  supposed  Cornelius  the  centurion 
to  be  the  leader,  or  overseer,  of  an  Italian  band  of 
music;  but  when  the  superintendent  had  learned 
that  fact,  he  saw  that  the  Bible  phrasing  just  as  it 
stood  did  not  make  clear  the  truth  of  the  text  to  that 
teacher ;  hence  some  other  phrasing  was  a  necessity 
just  there,  in  the  effort  to  make  the  truth  clear. 
Every  teacher  must  be  sure  of  his  scholar's  measure  of 
knowledge  on  such  a  point  as  this.  In  order  to  make 
clear  that  which  he  would  teach,  a  teacher  must, 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Know  your 
scholar's 

mind. 


A  band, 
leader. 


152 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Telling  it 
simply. 


Telling  it 
slowly. 


therefore,  put  himself  alongside  of  his  scholar,  in 
knowledge  and  in  sympathy ;  he  must  bring  himself 
to  the  scholar's  level  of  understanding  and  thought 
and  feeling.  If  there  are  more  scholars  than  one  to 
be  taught,  the  teacher  must  bring  himself  to  the  level 
of  the  lowest  of  these  scholars ;  for  if  those  of  the 
lowest  grade  can  understand  him,  those  of  the  grades 
above  will  understand  him  also ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  making  a  truth  clear  to  the  higher  grade  does 
not  necessarily  make  it  clear  to  the  lower. 

The  words  chosen  for  the  phrasing  of  a  truth  which 
is  to  be  made  clear,  should  be  words  which  the 
scholar  already  understands ;  or,  if  he  has  not  under- 
stood these  words  before,  he  should  now  be  helped 
to  understand  them.  No  matter  how  attentive  the 
scholar  may  be,  nor  yet  how  all-important  may  be 
the  truth  which  is  declared  to  him;  unless  his 
teacher  addresses  him  in  words  within  his  compre- 
hension, he  must  fail  to  comprehend  the  truth  for 
which  he  is  waiting. 

"  Tell  me  the  story  simply, 
As  to  a  little  child," 

is  the  call  of  many  a  learner  who  is  addressed  as  if 
he  had  knowledge  far  beyond  a  child's.  And,  again, 
an  adaptation  in  the  manner  of  address  in  teaching 
has  much  to  do  with  making  clear  the  truth  which 
is  to  be  taught. 

"  Tell  me  the  story  slowly, 
That  I  may  take  it  in." 


Test  Questionings. 


153 


A  scholar  of  slow  thought  must  have  the  teacher's 
help  in  slow  and  patient  teaching.  No  matter  how 
long  it  takes  to  make  the  one  truth  in  hand  clear  to 
the  one  scholar  under  instruction,  no  matter  how 
many  times  the  words  chosen  to  make  that  truth 
clear  have  to  be  changed,  or  re-stated, — the  teacher 
must  keep  on  trying;  for,  to  make  just  that  truth 
clear  to  that  particular  scholar  is  the  only  thing  that 
is  really  worth  thinking  about  by  that  teacher — until 
that  thing  is  finally  accomplished. 

In  the  effort  at  making  the  truth  clear,  a  teacher 
will  commonly  have  to  tell  a  thing  to  his  scholar  in 
as  plain  and  simple  words  as  he  can  employ — words 
which  the  scholar  is  likely  to  know  the  meaning  of, 
and  which  he  is  least  likely  to  misapprehend.  Then, 
commonly,  comes  the  use  of  well-designed  question- 
ing, to  test  the  scholar's  understanding  and  compre- 
hension of  the  truth  declared  to  him;  not  the 
putting  of  formal  questions  from  a  printed  page,  nor 
yet  the  asking  of  the  scholar  to  give  again  the  words 
he  has  heard  from  his  teacher,  but  conversational 
questioning,  calculated  to  draw  out  the  scholar's 
independent  view  of  the  matter  in  consideration. 
According  to  the  lack  of  understanding  by  the 
scholar  disclosed  in  this  test-questioning,  is  the 
teacher's  farther  duty  of  making  clear  the  truth 
which  he  would  teach,  and  which  cannot  be  taught 
until  it  is  made  clear — the  truth  which  he  has  already 
stated  without  making  it  clear.  Just  here  comes  in 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4- 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Working 
patiently. 


Testing 
carefully. 


154 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Bhedding 
light. 


Wise  com- 
parisons. 


the  mission   of  illustration;    of    illustration   in   its 
primitive  and  truest  sense. 

Illustration  is  literally  a  making  lustrous  ;  to  illus- 
trate is  "  to  make  clear,  intelligible,  or  apprehen- 
sible ;  especially  by  means  of  figures,  comparisons, 
examples,  and  the  like."  Illustration  is  not  neces- 
sarily the  use  of  anecdotes;  not  commonly  so; 
neither  is  it  the  adorning  and  rendering  attractive 
dry  statements  of  truth.  Story-telling  by  a  teacher 
is,  in  most  cases,  more  likely  to  "  darken  counsel " 
than  to  make  truth  clear;  to  shadow  the  light 
rather  than  to  shed  light ;%  to  turn  away  the  thoughts 
from  the  immediate  subject  of  study,  rather  than  to 
apply  them  to  it  with  a  closer  intensity, — however 
pleasing  it  may  be  to  either  scholar  or  teacher,  or 
however  it  may  aid  in  holding  the  attention  of  the 
scholars.  But  the  true  use  of  illustration  by  a  teacher 
is  in  his  availing  himself  of  that  which  the  learner 
already  knows,  as  a  help  to  the  understanding  of 
that  which  the  learner  does  not  yet  know.  Every 
scholar  already  knows  something.  Every  teacher 
ought  to  know  more  than  his  scholar.  In  the 
teacher's  effort  to  cause  his  scholar  to  gain  fresh 
knowledge,  he  can  wisely  make  use  of  an  illustra- 
tion— of  a  light-shedding  comparison— out  of  the 
scholar's  stock  of  knowledge,  to  make  clear  a  truth 
beyond  the  scholar's  present  possessions,  but  within 
the  teacher's  realm  of  knowledge.  And  without 
this  work  of  light-shedding,  everything  else  that 


Angels  of  Imagery. 


155 


any  teacher  does  or  is,  goes  for  nought  in  the  pro- 
cess of  teaching. 

If  a  teacher  seeks  illustrations  as  illustrations,  if 
he  honestly  endeavors  to  find  some  well-known  fact 
or  thing  which  will  make  clear  a  truth  that  he  is 
trying  to  transfer  to,  or  to  impress  upon,  his 
scholar's  mind,  he  will  not  be  permanently  at  a  loss 
for  helps  of  that  kind  in  his  teaching.  The  world  is 
teaming  with  u  likes  "  and  u  similes,"  and  practice 
will  perfect  him  in  their  finding.  But  if  he  is  after 
figures  of  speech,  and  agencies  of  adornment,  by 
which  to  make  his  speech  more  brilliant  or  attrac- 
tive, he  is  not  likely  to  be  so  successful.  Lacking 
the  simple  purpose  of  practical  utility,  in  his  search 
after  helps  to  wise  speaking,  he  will  have  no  such 
directness  and  progress  in  his  endeavors  to  gather 
material  for  his  using.  On  this  point,  Dr.  BushnelFs 
words  of  counsel  to  the  young  preacher  have  their 
application  to  the  teacher  also :  "  If  he  has  really 
something  strong  enough  to  say,  to  call  in  angels 
of  imagery  that  excel  in  strength  to  help  him  say  it, 
there  is  no  kind  of  symbol  observed  by  him,  in 
heaven  above  or  in  earth  beneath,  that  will  not 
be  at  hand  to  lend  him  wings  and  lift  him  into  the 
necessary  heights  of  expression.  But  the  moment 
those  aerial  creatures  begin  to  see  that  they  are 
wanted  for  garnish,  and  not  for  truth's  sake,  they 
will  hide  like  partridges  in  the  bush." 

To  illustrate  this  point,  an  example  of  a  teacher's 


PART  I. 

The 

Teachers 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

ot  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Looking  up 
similes. 


Having  a 
purpose. 


156 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  is  an 
example  ? 


Using  wrong 
answers. 


using  a  known  and  familiar  fact  to  make  clear  a 
truth  which  was  not  yet  known  and  familiar  to  his 
scholars,  may  be  of  service  just  here.  Years  ago,  I 
was  leading  the  general  exercises  of  a  city  mission- 
school,  in  rny  old  Hartford  home,  where  the  lesson 
in  hand  was,  "  Christ  our  Example."  In  the  pro- 
gress of  the  exercise,  I  asked,  "  What  do  you  mean 
hy  example  ?  What  is  an  example  ?  "  One  scholar 
answered  promptly,  "  Some  figures  which  you  write 
on  a  slate."  Thereupon  the  other  scholars  laughed; 
but  I  said  quickly,  "  Yes,  that  is  one  kind  of  an 
example.  We  call  those  figures  which  we  write  on 
a  slate  an  example  of  a  rule  in  arithmetic;  but  there 
is  another  meaning  to  the  word  '  example/  and  that 
is  the  one  I  am  after."  Already  my  questioning  had 
shown  me  that  at  least  one  scholar  there  had  utterly 
failed  to  get  an  idea  of  Christ  as  an  Example,  through 
a  not  unnatural  misapprehension  of  the  word  u  exam- 
ple." Then  I  put  my  question  again:  u  When  we 
say  that  some  one  is  an  example  to  us,  what  do  we 
mean  by  that  ?  "  "  It's  to  be  better  than  all  the  other 
boys,"  called  out  a  bright  little  fellow,  who  was  ail 
intent  on  the  exercise.  "  Yes,"  again  I  responded; 
for  it  is  always  better  to  recognize  what  truth  there 
is  in  an  honest  answer  of  a  scholar,  and  to  work  out 
from  that  toward  a  fuller  meaning,  than  merely  to 
point  out  the  defects  in  the  answer.  "  Yes ;  that  is 
the  idea ;  and  I  wish  that  every  boy  here  would  try 
to  be  such  an  example  to  all  the  others.  But  now 


The  Use  of  a  Pattern. 


157 


can  you  tell  me  any  other  word  that  means  about 
the  same  as  an  example  ?  "  That  was  a  "  poser  "  to 
those  boys,  as,  indeed,  I  expected  it  to  be ;  for  they 
were  not  accustomed  to  sharp  definitions  and  syno- 
nyms. At  once,  however,  every  interested  and 
attentive  boy  there  was  busy  at  thinking ;  for  chil- 
dren like  to  be  set  at  work  in  search  of  truth.  Know- 
ing those  scholars,  in  their  week-day  haunts  and 
surroundings,  I  then  undertook  to  find  an  "  illus- 
tration" to  help  them  in  their  truth-seeking. 
"  Some  of  you  have  been  down  at  Woodruff  and 
Beach's,  or  at  Lincoln's,  iron-works,  and  have 
watched  them  casting  there.  You  know  that  when 
they  want  to  make  a  boiler-head,  or  a  fence-post,  or 
a  stove-top,  they  take  a  piece  of  wood  of  just  the 
right  size  and  shape,  and  press  it  into  the  clay  of  the 
casting-moulds.  What  do  they  call  that  piece  of 
wood?"  "Pattern,"  "Pattern,"  came  up  from  one 
boy  and  another,  before  the  question  was  fairly  out 
of  the  teacher's  mouth.  "Yes,"  I  said,  "  that  is  it. 
It  is  a  pattern.  That  is  the  very  word  I  was  after. 
An  example  is  a  pattern.  It  is  something  of  just  the 
shape  that  we  want  other  things  to  be.  When  a  boy 
is  better  than  all  the  other  boys,  he  is  a  pattern  to 
them — an  example."  It  was  easier  from  that  point 
to  make  clear  the  lesson  of  "  Christ  our  Example." 
In  the  endeavor  to  make  truth  clear  by  the  use  of 
illustrations,  a  teacher  should  avoid  the  too  common 
mistake  of  supposing  that  symbols,  or  figures  of 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Having  a 
pattern. 


Shun 
symbols, 


158 


Teachiiig  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Figures  of 
speech. 


Give  children 
a  straight 
line. 


speech,  are  a  help  to  the  understanding  of  truths  not 
before  apprehended.  This  mistake  shows  itself  on 
every  side,  in  the  multiplicity  of  arks  and  anchors, 
and  crosses  and  crowns  in  blackboard  diagrams,  in  the 
chromatic  pictured  designs,  and  in  the  visible  lesson- 
symbols  of  various  sorts  and  patterns,  proffered  for 
the  elucidation  of  Sunday-school  lessons ;  as,  also,  in 
the  figurative  language  employed  in  speaking  of 
elementary  religious  truths,  to  children  and  others  of 
uninstructed  minds.  It  is  true,  as  has  been  already 
affirmed,  that  ivords  are  at  the  best  but  symbols,  and 
must  be  recognized  as  figuring  or  suggesting  ideas, 
rather  than  as  conveying  those  ideas  absolutely.  But 
this  only  makes  it  more  important  to  use  words  in 
only  a  single  and  a  simple  sense,  and  not  to  employ 
them,  in  their  symbolism,  for  the  presentation  of  a 
secondary  symbolism.  To  pursue  this  latter  course 
is  to  burden  and  hinder  the  child  needlessly  in  his 
endeavor  to  comprehend  truth  and  to  make  its  ideas 
his  own. 

Children  have  high  capabilities  of  understand- 
ing, and  yet  higher  capabilities  of  imagining,  but 
their  minds  work  easiest  in  a  straight  line,  and  in  one 
line  of  thought  at  a  time.  There  must  be  simplicity 
and  directness  in  the  thought  presented  to  them,  to 
enable  them  to  take  hold  of  it  and  pursue  it — in  reason 
or  in  imagination.  If  you  say  to  them  that  what  you 
are  telling  is  a  veritable  truth,  they  can  understand 
you.  If  you  say  to  them  that  it  is  a  fancy,  that  it  is 


Powers  of  the  Child-mind 


159 


a  "  make-believe,"  they  can  understand  that,  and 
they  will  have  no  difficulty  in  following  you,  with 
the  idea  that  what  you  say  is  in  the  realm  of  fancy. 
But,  if  you  tell  them,  that  the  "  make-believe  "  means 
something  else  than  its  apparent  meaning,  and  that 
you  want  them  to  imagine  one  thing,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  consider  and  realize  quite  another  thing 
as  symbolized  by  this  symbolic  language,  then  you 
confuse  them  needlessly,  and  burden  and  tax  their 
minds  unduly.  Nathaniel  Hawthorne  refers  to  this 
truth  in  the  preface  to  his  "  Wonder  Book,"  where 
he  says :  "  Children  possess  an  unestimated  sensi- 
bility to  whatever  is  deep  or  high,  in  imagination  or 
feeling,  so  long  as  it  is  simple  likewise.  It  is  only 
the  artificial  and  the  complex  that  bewilder  them." 
It  is  on  this  account  that  the  miracles  of  the  Bible 
are  better  suited  than  the  parables  to  the  teaching 
of  children.  Children  do  not  stagger  at  the  super- 
natural, even  while  they  stand  bewildered  before  the 
symbolic.  A  child  can  take  in  the  description  of 
heaven  as  a  city,  with  its  streets  of  gold,  and 
with  its  twelve  gates,  each  gate  of  a  single  pearl. 
Bui  when  you  add  to  this  appeal  to  the  imagination, 
a  call  on  the  reasoning  faculties  to  consider  the 
truths  symbolized  by  the  golden  pavements,  and  by 
the  gates,  you  bring  in  a  puzzling  element  which 
distracts  the  thoughts  and  limits  the  progress  of 
the  children's  minds.  So,  again,  if  you  tell  the 
children  that  Jesus  Christ  is  able  and  willing  to 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Hawthorne's 
opinion. 


Miracles 
simpler  than 
parables. 


160 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PAKT  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Only  a  hin- 
drance. 


The  Good 
Shepherd. 


be  their  Saviour,  they  can  understand  that,  quite 
as  well  as  can  the  accomplished  theologian.  But 
if_you  tell  them  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Good 
Shepherd,  and  that  they  are  the  lambs  of  his  fold, 
there  is  a  perplexing  symbolism  in  that  statement, 
which  has  to  be  made  clear  to  begin  with,  and  when 
it  is  made  clear,  the  truth  concerning  Jesus  Christ  as 
a  Saviour  is  yet  untouched ;  so  at  the  best  you  have 
merely  brought  forward  a  symbolism,  to  stand  in  the 
way,  for  a  time,  of  a  truth  that  could  have  been  made 
clear  without  any  such  symbolism. 

You  may  say,  in  opposition  to  this,  that  the  figure 
of  the  Good  Shepherd  is  found  in  the  Bible,  and  that 
it  must,  therefore,  be  recognized  as  worthy  of  the 
children's  understanding.  True,  and  when  you  find 
that  figure  in  the  Bible-lesson,  it  is  your  duty  to 
explain  it  to  the  children.  You  could  even  say,  at 
such  a  time :  "  Now,  children,  this  does  not  mean 
that  Jesus  is  a  real  shepherd ;  nor  does  it  mean  that 
you  are  sheep,  or  lambs.  It  only  means  that,  just  as 
a  good  shepherd  takes  care  of  the  sheep  and  lambs  of 
his  flock,  and  is  ready  to  lay  down  his  life  rather 
than  to  have  them  harmed,  so  Jesus  will  care  for 
children  who  are  in  his  keeping,  and  so  he  has  already 
proved  his  love  for  you  by  giving  his  life  for  you." 
To  explain  an  Oriental  figure  of  this  kind  when  you 
find  it  in  the  Bible,  is  a  very  different  thing  from 
taking  up  an  Oriental  figure  as  an  explanation  of  a 
plain  English  term.  The  common  picturing  of  Jesus 


No  Gain  in  Circumlocution. 


161 


as  a  Good  Shepherd,  carrying  a  lamb  in  his  bosom, 
has  confused  and  disturbed  many  a  child's  mind  in 
his  thoughts  of  the  character  and  work  of  Jesus. 

More  than  one  person  of  intelligence  has  told  me 
of  the  discomfort  of  his  mind,  in  his  early  life, 
through  this  common  use  of  figurative  language  in 
the  presentation  of  religious  truth  to  him.  One 
good  man  said,  that  for  years  he  suffered  keenly 
under  the  impression  that  the  only  choice  before 
him  for  all  eternity  was  to  be  a  sheep  or  a  goat,  to 
be  covered  with  wool  or  with  hair ;  and  he  had  no 
wish  for  either  transformation.  He  was  now  a  boy, 
and,  whether  he  lived  or  died,  he  would  like  to  con- 
tinue a  boy,  or  grow  to  be  a  man.  Yet  the  same 
misleading  figure  wTas  piously  pressed  on  him  by 
parent,  teacher,  and  preacher,  without  any  attempt 
at  its  explaining.  Unless  you  have  a  care  to  shun 
the  use  of  symbols  in  your  teaching,  you  may  be 
putting  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way  of  your  scholars, 
instead  of  supplying  them  with  guide-posts,  on  the 
road  of  truth.  ( You,  being  a  teacher,  can  understand 
this  symbolism,  as  one  of  your  scholars  could  not.) 

A  straightforward  simple  statement  of  the  truth, 
to  a  child,  is  always  better  than  a  figurative  presen- 
tation of  that  truth.  Even  if  the  child  can  be  made 
to  comprehend  the  symbol,  its  use  has  even  then 
caused  a  needless  delay  in  the  completion  of  the 
teaching-process.  Possibly  a  little  child  could  be 
trained  to  stand  on  its  head  before  it  stood  on  its 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  sheep  or  a 
goat. 


A  stumbling, 
block. 


Standing  on 
one's  head. 


162 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


JEsop's 
"  morals.' 


By  their 
fruits. 


feet ;  but  even  if  it  could  do  this,  that  would  hardly 
be  a  wise  way  of  teaching  a  child  to  walk.  Many  a 
teacher  who  has  tested  children's  capabilities  in  this 
line  has  learned  how  difficult  it  is  for  even  a  bright 
child  to  carry  two  parallel  processes  of  reasoning  in 
its  mind  at  the  same  time.  For  example,  twenty 
children  can  enjoy  and  understand  the  fables  of 
^Esop,  where  one  child  can  comprehend  the 
"  moral "  of  one  of  those  fables.  So,  in  the  use  of 
all  figurative  language.  While  reading  in  the 
Bible  in  my  family  circle,  I  came  to  the  words  of 
our  Lord,  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 
Had  I  simply  said  to  my  children,  "  That  means, 
that  you  are  sure  to  show  whether  you  are  a  good 
child  or  a  bad  child  by  the  way  you  act,"  I  should 
have,  so  far,  made  the  matter  clear.  But  I  wanted 
to  explain  and  apply  the  symbolism  of  the  text;  and 
I  went  on  accordingly.  The  child  whom  I  was 
questioning  readily  caught  the  idea  of  knowing  a 
tree  by  its  fruits,  of  understanding  that  a  pear-tree 
was  a  pear-tree,  and  not  an  apple-tree,  because  it  bore 
pears,  and  so  on.  She  also  recognized  the  truth, 
that  a  child's  character  could  be  known  by  its  con- 
duct. Each  truth  she  could  comprehend  by  itself; 
but  the  difficulty  was  in  running  her  mind  on  two 
parallel  lines  of  thought  at  the  same  time,  so  as  to 
perceive  that  conduct  is  a  fruit  of  character.  I  could 
come  no  nearer  to  it  than  this :  "  By  what  does  Jesus 
say  we  may  know  people?"  "By  their  fruits." 


The  Chief  Use  of  Parables. 


163 


"  What  do  you  mean  by  their  fruits  ?  "  "  Apples 
arid  pears." 

Nor  was  she  an  exception  in  finding  this  difficulty 
in  the  process  of  learning  by  symbolic  language. 
Mrs.  Edward  Ashley  Walker  tells  of  hearing  a 
clergyman  explain,  in  an  address  to  children,  that 
Christian  ministers  are  the  salt  of  the  earth.  After 
he  had  shown  the  value  of  salt,  in  its  power  to  keep 
food  from  spoiling,  he  told  of  the  good  work  of 
ministers  in  aiding  to  preserve  the  world  from  total 
corruption.  The  children  understood  both  parts  of 
the  address,  but  they  could  not  run  them  together 
properly.  When  he  concluded  his  address  with  the 
question,  "  Why,  then,  are  ministers  the  salt  of  the 
earth  ?  "  they  answered,  not  unnaturally,  "  Because 
they  keep  victuals  from  spoiling."  And  that  is  a 
fair  illustration  of  the  dangers  of  speaking  in  par- 
ables. 

It  may  be  asked,  however,  why  parables  are  so 
freely  used  in  the  Bible,  if  they  are  so  difficult  of 
comprehension  by  the  untutored  mind.  They  cer- 
tainly are  not  always  used  there  as  illustrations. 
Parables  are  often  the  very  opposite  of  illustrations 
— in  the  true  and  primitive  sense  of  that  term. 
Illustrations  illumine  truth,  throw  light  on  it,  make 
it  clearer  and  more  luminous.  Parables  more  com- 
monly enfold  truth,  wrap  it  about  in  figures — that 
for  a  time  conceal  rather  than  disclose  it.  This  is  the 
original  purpose  of  much  of  the  parable-using  in 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Me  hods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  use  of 

salt. 


The  hidings 
of  a  parable. 


164 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Simpler 
parables. 


The  captain's 
rope. 


the  Bible.  "  Why  speakest  thou  unto  them  in  para- 
bles ?  "  asked  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  when  they  found 
that  he  was  addressing  the  multitudes  in  figures  of 
speech  which  were  difficult  of  comprehension.  "  Be- 
cause," was  his  reply,  "  it  is  given  unto  you  to  know 
the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them 
it  is  not  given."  Yet  even  the  disciples  did  not 
know  the  meaning  of  all  the  parables,  until  they  asked 
and  obtained  an  explanation  from  Jesus.  "And 
when  they  were  alone  he  expounded  all  things  [as 
spoken  by  him  in  parables]  to  his  disciples." 

Where  a  Bible  parable  is  given  in  the  form  of  a 
simple  narrative,  with  its  obvious  teachings  in  the 
story  itself,  as  in  the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan, 
there  is,  of  course,  no  such  difficulty  in  its  use  for 
children,  as  exists  in  a  parable  which  symbolizes 
truth  rather  than  illustrates  it,  The  difference  in  the 
two  forms  will  be  apparent  to  every  intelligent  mind. 
If,  therefore,  you  want  to  conceal  truth  from  your 
scholars  fora  time,  speakto  them  in  symbolic  parables, 
or  use  crosses  and  crowns  and  anchors  and  hearts,  in 
bewildering  their  simple  minds ;  but  if  you  feel  that 
it  is  given  to  them  to  know  the  truth  which  you 
know,  by  all  means  give  them  the  truth  in  simple, 
straightforward  language,  with  the  aid  of  helpful 
illustrations,  without  any  unnecessary  symbolisms. 

Dr.  Dowling  has  shown  how  a  simple  illustration 
may  make  clear  the  truth  of  such  seeming  contradic- 
tions as  Paul's  separate  statements  that  we  are  saved 


Eye  Teaching. 


165 


by  faith,  and,  again,  that  we  are  saved  by  grace. 
The  illustration  is  that  of  a  man  falling  from  the 
deck  of  a  moving  steamer.  The  captain  instantly 
orders  the  engines  stopped ;  a  boat  is  lowered ;  a  rope 
is  thrown  to  the  struggling  man ;  the  man  clutches 
at  the  rope ;  he  is  saved ;  saved  by  the  loving-kind- 
ness of  the  captain ;  saved  also  by  his  clutching  at 
the  proffered  rope. 

The  help  of  the  eye,  of  the  scholar's  eye,  ought  to 
be  sought  by  the  teacher  in  his  effort  at  making 
clear  the  truth  he  would  teach.  Maps  and  pictures, 
and  other  visible  helps,  have  their  important  place 
in  this  line  of  effort.  Yet,  more  commonly,  the 
blackboard,  or  the  class  slate,  or  a  sheet  of  paper  and 
a  pencil,  can  be  made  to  do  much  toward  making 
clear  that  which  the  teacher  would  teach.  Pecu- 
liarly is  this  the  case  where  the  lesson  includes  a 
narrative,  and  where  the  relative  positions  of  persons 
and  places  need  to  be  understood.  It  is  hardly  less 
useful  where  related  truths  are  to  be  considered 
over  against  each  other.  With  all  scholars  who  can 
read,  the  directing  of  their  attention  to  the  Bible- 
text  itself,  in  conjunction  with  the  teacher's  explana- 
tions, can  be  made  to  perform  an  important  part  in 
making  clear  that  which  the  teacher  would  teach. 
Indeed,  the  aid  of  the  Bible-text  in  making  clear 
the  text  of  the  Bible — the  value  of  Bible-truth  as  a 
means  of  explaining  Bible-truth  —  can  hardly  be 
over-estimated.  There  is  no  single  fact  or  doctrine  in 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


The  help  of 
the  eye. 


The  help  of 
the  text. 


166 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART!. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Other  things 
also. 


any  one  part  of  the  Bible,  on  which  light  cannot  be 
thrown  by  a  fact  or  a  statement  in  some  other  part 
of  the  Bible ;  and  there  is  an  added  gain  when  the 
scholars  are  enabled  to  see  this  for  themselves.  If 
they  do  not  know  of  any  passage  which  will  give 
them  help,  the  teacher  can  tell  them  where  to  find 
one;  leaving  them,  however,  to  find  it  and  apply  it 
for  themselves.  And  so,  by  all  these  various  means, 
the  work  of  making  the  truth  clear  can  go  on  under 
the  teacher's  skilled  direction. 

Making  clear  that  which  you  would  teach,  is 
not  the  whole  of  teaching ;  but  there  is  no  teaching 
without  it.  There  are  other  things  -to  be  done  be- 
sides this;  things  which,  in  their  place,  are  even 
more  important  than  this ;  but  this  is  the  thing  of 
things  for  you  to  attend  to,  when  it  is  the  thing  you 
are  attempting  as  a  teacher.  How  to  do  it,  is  a  point 
of  pre-eminent  importance  to  you — when  you  have 
it  to  do. 


Stooping  to  Conquer. 


167 


m. 

HOW  TO  SECURE   YOUR  SCHOLARS1 
CO-  WORK  IN  LESSON-  TEA  CHING. 

Finding  the  Scholar's  Level;  Knowing  Too  Much  to  Teach;  Putting 
Children  at  Ease ;  Giving  Them  Something  to  Do ;  Naaman  and 
Gehazi ;  Modes  of  Questioning ;  Galfs  System ;  Fitch's  Mistake  ; 
How  Not  to  Do  It;  Scholars'  Questions;  Class  Slates;  Inter- 
working  Plan. 

THE  scholars  being  attentive,  and  the  teacher  hav- 
ing found  a  way  to  make  clear  that  which  he  would 
teach,  the  teaching-process  now  hinges  on  the  co-work 
of  scholar  and  teacher  in  the  transfer  of  the  needed 
knowledge  from  the  teacher's  mind  to  the  scholar's 
mind;  or,  more  properly,  in  the  enabling  of  the 
scholar  to  obtain  that  knowledge  for  himself,  under 
the  teacher's  guidance.  And  for  this  co-work,  also, 
the  teacher  is  responsible,  as  it  is  the  teacher's  method 
of  securing  the  completion  of  the  teacher's  process, 
that  we  are  considering;  and  no  teacher  can  do  a 
teacher's  work,  without  the  co-work  of  his  scholars. 

The  first  requisite  to  securing  the  co-work  of  your 
scholars,  is  to  bring  yourself  down  to  th  eir  level.  You 
probably  are  above  their  level  to  begin  with.  You 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Finding  a 
level. 


168 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


"  Daddle, 
daddle." 


A  good  start. 


ought  to  be  so.  But,  if  you  and  they  are  to  co-work 
to  advantage,  you  and  they  must  get  together  in  some 
way.  They  are  as  yet  unable  to  rise  to  your  level. 
You  ought  to  be  able  to  stoop  to  theirs.  This  you 
can  do  without  losing  your  own  vantage-ground. 

A  baby  boy  was  backward  in  saying  his  first  words. 
One  after  another  of  the  family  tried  in  vain  to  teach 
him  to  say  u  Mamma,"  or  "  Papa."  He  could  just  roll 
his  little  tongue  and  make  a  few  simple  sounds,  like 
"  Daddle,  daddle."  His  repeated  failures  to  do  more 
than  this  discouraged  his  parents  and  several  of  his 
older  sisters,  and  had  the  effect  of  disheartening  him  in 
his  efforts.  He  saw  that  he  disappointed  his  would-be 
teachers,  and  it  grieved  him;  but  how  to  do  better  he 
did  not  see.  A  little  sister,  next  older  than  himself, 
herself  not  yet  four  years  old,  saw  the  trouble,  and  in 
sympathy  with  her  little  brother,  put  herself  down 
alongside  of  him  on  the  floor,  to  see  what  she  could 
do  as  a  teacher.  "  Charley,"  she  began, "  say  '  Daddle, 
daddle.'  "  Charley  at  once  responded  with  "  Daddle, 
daddle."  "  That's  right,  Charley,"  she  said.  "  That's 
a  good  boy."  Then,  in  triumph,  she  called  to  her 
mamma:  "  Mamma,  see  here,  lean  make  Charley 
talk."  And  she  put  him  through  his  lesson  success- 
fully. Her  hearty  approval  gave  her  little  scholar 
cheer.  He  was  no  longer  disheartened.  He  was 
ready  to  try  a  new  lesson  now.  And  that  was  the 
beginning  of  his  success  in  learning.  As  soon  as  a 
teacher  came  down  to  his  level,  he  was  ready  to  be 


Touching  the  Scholar's  Level. 


169 


helped  to  a  higher  plane.  Co-work  on  his  part  was 
impossible  until  then. 

It  has  often  been  said — it  has,  indeed,  already  been 
stated  in  this  volume — that  the  more  a  teacher  knows, 
the  harder  it  seems  for  him  to  teach;  and  it  certainly 
has*  been  found,  as  a  practical  matter,  that  young- 
persons  are  commonly  more  successful  as  teachers, 
than  are  older  persons.  The  underlying  reason  for 
this  seeming  advantage  of  the  younger  and  the  poorer 
informed,  over  the  maturer  and  the  well-instructed, 
is  in  the  greater  readiness  with  which  the  younger 
teacher  apprehends  and  conforms  himself  to  his 
scholars'  level  of  intelligence ;  and  in  the  liability  of 
the  man  of  learning  to  fail  of  recognizing  and  bridg- 
ing the  gap  between  his  scholar  and  himself,  as  pre- 
liminary to  the  proper  co-work  of  teacher  and  scholar. 
The  best  informed  man  could  teach  much  better  than 
one  having  less  knowledge,  if  only  he  would  ascertain 
and  bring  himself  down  to  his  scholars'  level  of 
thought  and  attainment  to  begin  with.  Unless  he 
does  this,  the  more  he  knows  the  less  he  can  teach. 

It  is  not  always  easy  for  a  teacher  to  ascertain  a 
scholar's  level.  That  may  itself  require  careful 
study.  But  there  is  no  safe  and  sure  progress  in 
teaching  until  that  knowledge  has  been  gained.  In 
a  city  mission  school  which  I  superintended  some 
years  ago,  a  teacher  asked  question  after  question 
of  a  new  little  scholar,  without  ever  getting  a  satis- 
factory answer.  The  boy  did  not  know  who  made  him, 


PART  L 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Knowing  less 
but  teaching 
more. 


Touching 
bottom  at 
last. 


170 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 


Bring  me  a 
penny. 


or  who  was  the  first  man,  or  who  built  the  ark,  or 
who  was  cast  into  the  lion's  den,  or  any  other  item 
of  the  elementary  information  which  was  then  made 
the  main  subject  of  Sunday-school  pursuit.  At  last 
the  teacher  asked  in  despair,  "  Why,  my  boy,  what 
do  you  know  ?  "  And  the  discouraged  face  bright- 
ened up,  as  the  little  fellow  answered  cheerily,  "  I 
know  the  head  from  the  tail  of  a  cent."  Then  for 
the  first  time  the  teacher  knew  what  that  boy's  level 
was.  Brought  up  in  the  crowded  streets  along  the 
river's  bank,  he  had  watched  the  older  boys  pitching 
pennies,  and  he  was  not  a  little  proud  to  have  al- 
ready learned  the  difference  between  the  "head" 
and  the  "  tail "  of  a  cent.  And  that  was  a  good  start- 
ing point  for  a  wise  teacher  who  could  come  down  to 
a  scholar's  level.  It  were  easy  then  to  take  a  penny, 
and  show  its  two  sides,  and  ask  and  talk  about  the 
difference.  Then  could  come  the  story  of  Jesus 
finding  a  lesson  on  the  "head"  of  a  penny;  and 
other  Bible  stories  about  a  penny  could  follow,  as  a 
basis  of  farther  co-work  in  the  teaching  process. 
Finding  a  scholar's  level  in  order  to  get  down  to  it, 
is  quite  as  important  a  matter  to  a  teacher  as  any 
other  result  of  his  study.  And  when  that  level  is 
found,  it  is  the  teacher's  duty  to  make  his  starting 
point  there.  That  is  the  only  hopeful  spot  on  earth 
for  him — as  a  teacher. 

"When  you  and  your  scholars  are  fairly  on  the 
same  plane,  you  must  see  to  it  that  they  are  .farnil- 


The  Little  Circus -Girl. 


171 


iarly  at  ease  with  you.  It  is  not  enough  for  a 
stranger  to  get  down  on  the  floor  alongside  of  a  little 
child.  There  will  be  shyness  on  the  child's  part 
until  acquaintance  is  made  with  the  new-comer, 
and  until  sympathy  and  confidence  bring  ease  and 
familiarity  on  both  sides.  When  these  are  secured, 
the  child  will  be  ready  enough  to  do  his  share  of  the 
talking.  Children  love  to  talk.  They  love  to  tell 
what  they  know.  They  love  to  ask  questions,  also. 
A  child  has  been  characterized,  not  inaptly,  as  "  an 
animated  interrogation  point."  Once  get  a  child  to 
feel  free  with  you,  and  he  will  talk  with  you  as  he 
would  with  his  parents  or  his  playmates.  If  you  can 
get  no  word  from  a  child  in  a  Sunday-school  class,  the 
trouble  is  not  with  the  child  alone.  It  is  in  your 
relations  with  that  child.  There  is  still  some  obstacle 
between  that  child  and  yourself^  some  hindrance  to 
his  perfect  freedom  with  you.  That  hindrance  you 
must  set  yourself  to  discover  and  remove,  if  you  would 
secure  his  co-work  with  you  in  the  teaching  process. 
A  good  teacher  had  in  her  Sunday-school  class 
one  shy  little  child,  who  for  a  long  time  could  never 
be  drawn  out  to  take  any  part  in  the  lesson  exercises. 
But,  one  Sunday,  as  the  teacher  was  speaking  famil- 
iarly with  her  scholars,  this  little  child  broke  out 
most  unexpectedly  with  the  announcement :  "  I 
went  to  the  circus  yesterday."  The  teacher  wisely 
saw  and  improved  her  opportunity.  Had  she 
checked  that  child  for  that  interruption,  as  she  might 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Being  at  ease. 


Back  from 
the  circus. 


172 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Reporting 
the  sights. 


It  must  be 
done. 


Setting  them 
at  work. 


have  checked  another  scholar,  the  shy  little  one 
would  have  felt  the  rebuke,  and  have  drawn  herself 
back  into  her  own  timid  self  once  more.  "Did 
you  ?  "  asked  the  kind  teacher,  in  evident  and  hearty 
appreciativeness.  "  And  what  did  you  see  there  ?  " 
Full  of  this  new  episode  in  her  commonplace  life, 
the  interested  child,  at  her  ease  all  of  a  sudden, 
started  oif  with  the  story  of  the  sights  she  saw  at  the 
circus.  Watching  the  play  of  the  little  one's  mind, 
the  teacher  went  alongside  of  the  scholar  until  she 
had  a  fair  hold  of  her  sympathy  and  attention,  and 
then  she  adroitly  turned  the  scholar's  mind  on  to  a 
thought  somewhat  nearer  the  subject  for  the  lesson 
for  the  day.  That  scholar,  thus  put  at  her  ease  with 
her  teacher,  never  shut  herself  away  from  that 
teacher  again. 

It  is  easier  for  some  teachers  to  put  themselves  on 
familiar  terms  with  their  scholars,  than  it  is  for  other 
teachers.  It  is  easier  to  bring  some  scholars  to  p, 
pleasant  familiarity  with  their  teacher,  than  it  is  to 
secure  the  same  result  with  other  scholars.  But 
whatever  difficulty  there  may  be,  on  the  part  of 
either  teacher  or  scholar,  this  freedom  of  familiarity 
must  be  secured  as  an  essential  preliminary  to  co- 
work  in  the  teaching  process. 

And  when  you  have  brought  yourself  down  to  the 
plane  of  your  scholars,  and  are  familiarly  at  ease 
with  them,  then  set  them  at  something  which  they 
can  do,  in  the  line  of  co-work  with  you.  It  is  not 


Children's  Love  of  Work. 


173 


enough  to  tell  them  in  advance  to  "  study  the  lesson." 
That  phrase  means  much  or  little,  according  as  it  is 
intended  by  the  teacher,  or  as  it  is  understood  by  the 
scholar.  Possibly,  you  know  what  you  mean  when 
you  use  it.  Probably,  you  do  not.  The  chief  cause 
of  the  common  complaint  that  scholars  do  not  study 
their  Sunday-school  lesson,  rests  in  the  fact  that  the 
scholars  do  not  know  what  is  meant  by  studying  that 
lesson,  and  that  the  teacher  has  no  better  defined  idea 
on  that  point  than  the  scholars  have.  Is  it  memor- 
izing the  text,  that  you  mean  ?  Is  it  fastening  in 
memory  the  title,  the  topic,  and  the  golden  text  of 
the  lesson  ?  Is  it  finding  the  answers  to  the  questions 
in  the  lesson-help  ?  Is  it  looking  up  the  connection 
of  this  lesson  with  other  portions  of  the  Bible  ?  Is 
it  searching  into  the  principles  involved  in  the  state- 
ments of  the  text,  and  considering  their  applications 
to  life  and  conduct  ?  It  might  be  any  one  of  these, 
or  of  half  a  dozen  other  ways  of  studying,  that  you 
are  thinking  of,  or  that  suggest  themselves  to  the 
scholars.  It  is  not  enough  to  leave  the  subject  in 
this  vagueness. 

If,  however,  you  point  out  to  a  child  some  one 
thing  that  he  can  do  in  the  studying  line,  and  ask  him 
to  do  that,  he  knows  what  is  wanted  of  htm,  and  he 
is  quite  likely  to  be  ready  and  glad  to  attend  to  it 
accordingly.  Children  love  to  be  helpful,  and  to  show 
that  they  are  bright.  Their  brightness  and  their 
helpfulness  can  be  quickened  and  made  available,  by 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  do  you 
want? 


Having  som« 
thing  to  do. 


174 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Keeping 
busy. 


Pointing  it 
out. 


the  wise  notice  and  direction  of  a  Sunday-school 
teacher.  "  I  like  to  be  busy,  papa,"  said  a  little  girl 
of  some  four  years  old ;  "  because  when  I'm  not  busy, 
Fve  got  nothing  to  do."  And  that  was  a  specimen 
child  so  far:  children  like  to  be  busy ;  and  if  children 
are  not  busy,  they  have  nothing  to  do.  It  is  a  teach- 
er's duty  to  see  that  his  scholars  are  kept  busy  by 
having  something  to  do,  in  all  the  teaching  hour. 
There  are  many  who  remember  the  gain  in  interest 
to  the  young  scholars  of  a  generation  ago,  through 
the  introduction,  into  the  homes  and  the  common 
schools,  of  Gallaudet's  Picture  Defining  and  Read- 
ing Book.  Each  section  of  that  Book  started  out 
with  a  picture.  Underneath  this  was  a  series  of 
simple  words,  indicating  objects  to  be  seen  in  the 
picture.  The  child  was  to  point  out  those  objects, 
as  he  read  those  words,  or  as  his  teacher  called  them 
to  him.  For  example :  "  An  old  man."  "  A  black 
hat."  "Small  sticks."  "  Ashortpipe."  "A  lively 
dog."  "  A  small  house."  "  One  door."  "Dark 
clouds."  "A  tree."  Each  of  these  specified  objects 
was  looked  up  and  pointed  out,  by  the  child,  in  the 
one  picture  which  included  them  all,  as  that  object 
was  called  for  by  the  text.  The  child  was  thus  kept 
attentive  and  active  throughout.  The  work  assigned 
to  him  was  a  work  within  his  capacity,  and  he  was 
led  along  in  it  pleasantly.  When  the  words  and  their 
meaning,  and  their  connection  with  that  picture, 
were  thus  fixed  in  his  mind  by  his  own  co-work  with 


A  Specimen  Lesson. 


175 


the  teacher,  the  child  was  ready  to  take  another  step, 
in  following  a  brief  story  in  which  these  words 
formed  an  important  part.  This  method  of  securing 
a  scholar's  co-work  in  lesson  study  is  equally  appli- 
cable to  Bible  teaching. 

Take,  for  illustration,  the  lesson  on  "  Gehazi  the 
Leper,"  from  2  Kings  5  :  20-27.  In  an  effort  to 
secure  the  co-work  of  scholars  who  have  been  back- 
ward in  taking  part  in  the  lesson  exercise,  the  teacher 
might  begin  with  calling  the  attention  of  the  class  to 
the  first  verse  of  the  lesson  (v.  20) :  "  But  Gehazi,  the 
servant  of  Elisha  the  man  of  God,  said,  Behold  my 
master  hath  spared  Naaman  this  Syrian,  in  not 
receiving  at  his  hands  that  which  he  brought ;  but 
as  the  Lord  liveth,  I  will  run  after  him,  and  take 
somewhat  of  him."  "  Three  men  are  named  in  this 
verse,  and  each  one  of  the  three  is  described.  Name 
the  first  man;  the  second;  the  third."  "Now 
notice,  one  thing  that  had  been  done ;  one  thing  that 
had  not  been  done ;  two  things  that  were  going  to 
be  done.  What  was  the  thing  that  had  been  done  ? 
What  was  the  thing  that  had  not  been  done  ?  What 
were  the  two  things  that  were  going  to  be  done?" 
Very  simple  questions,  these  are ;  but  they  are  all 
the  more  likely  to  be  responded  to  because  they  are 
so  simple;  and  they  demand  attention,  and  quicken 
interest,  on  the  part  of  the  scholars.  From  such 
questions,  which  can  be  asked  about  almost  any 
verse  in  the  lesson,  it  is  easy  to  go  on,  step  by  step, 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

-Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Gehazi  the 
leper. 


176 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Gehazi's  sins. 


The  place  of 
questioning. 


carrying  the  scholars  with  you  in  co-work,  until  the 
main  teachings  and  applications  of  the  lesson  are 
brought  out  in  the  scholars'  answers  to  the  teacher's 
well-considered  questions.  When  it  comes  to  the 
teachings  and  applications  of  the  lesson,  the  scholars 
can  be  led  on,  by  specific  questions,  to  see  and  to 
say,  that  the  sins  of  Gehazi  included  his  parleying 
with  evil,  his  deciding  to  do  wrong,  his  starting  out 
on  a  bad  mission,  his  lying,  his  misrepresenting  his 
master,  his  obtaining  money  on  false  pretences,  his 
embezzling  trust  funds,  his  adding  lie  to  lie ;  and 
that  in  his  sinning  he  risked  his  own  soul,  he  endan- 
gered the  faith  of  Naaman,  he  betrayed  the  confi- 
dence of  his  master,  and  he  dishonored  the  cause  of 
God.  While  the  beginning  of  such  specific  ques- 
tioning is  very  simple,  it  can  be  carried  on  indefi- 
nitely in  the  direction  of  thorough  and  exhaustive 
lesson-study.  Some  of  the  points  to  be  questioned 
about  can  be  assigned  to  the  scholars  a  week  in 
advance ;  others  of  them  can  be  taken  up  for  the 
first  time  in  the  class  at  the  hour  of  lesson  study. 

Questioning  has  an  important  part  in  keeping 
scholars  at  work  with  their  teacher,  to  a  common 
end.  Questioning  has,  indeed,  an  important  part  in 
every  phase  of  the  teaching-process.  It  does  much  in 
catching  attention  and  in  holding  attention.  It  does 
much  in  making  clear  the  truth  which  is  to  be 
taught.  But,  more  than  elsewhere,  questioning  has 
its  place  in  securing  the  scholars'  co-work  with  their 


Gall's  Lesson  System. 


177 


teachers,  in  the  completion  of  the  teaching-process. 
Illustrations  of  one  kind  of  questioning  with  this 
point  in  view  have  already  been  given.  There  are 
simpler  forms  of  questioning  which  can  have  a  part 
all  the  way  along  in  the  teaching-process.  Prelimi- 
nary questions  which  are  so  shaped  as  to  bring  out 
the  very  words  and  statements  of  the  lesson-text, 
before  any  comment  is  made  on  them,  have  a  value  in 
Bible  study  beyond  any  value  which  this  form  of 
questioning  could  have  in  the  study  of  another  book 
than  the  Bible;  for  there  is  a  gain  in  knowing  the 
precise  words  as  they  stand  in  the  text  of  the  Bible, 
in  order  to  the  understanding  of  the  manifold  mean- 
ings of  that  text. 

This  mode  of  questioning  in  Bible-study  was  first 
introduced  by  James  Gall,  of  Scotland,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century.  "At  that  time  the  art 
of  teaching  in  Scotland  was  at  its  lowest  ebb ;  and, 
with  but  few  exceptions,  children  at  school  were 
trained  to  pronounce  the  words  in  their  books,  with- 
out knowing,  or  seeking  to  know,  the  meaning  of 
anything  they  read."  In  the  United  States,  a  similar 
method  prevailed  in  our  earlier  Sunday-schools; 
and  the  mere  memorizing  of  Bible-words,  or  of 
catechism  answers,  was  the  extent  of  most  that  was 
called  Sunday-school  teaching.  Mr.  Gall  introduced 
the  plan  of  a  "  limited  lesson,"  including  a  few  verses 
of  Scripture  to  be  made  the  subject  of  simple  ques- 
tioning, with  a  view  to  enable  the  scholar  to  know 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Text  ques- 
tions. 


Old-time 
method*. 


178 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Thinking 

before 

answering. 


Parable  of 
the  sower. 


what  those  verses  declared,  and  to  express  his 
understanding  of  them  in  his  own  words.  From 
this  beginning  our  entire  modern  system  of  Sunday- 
school  teaching — including  all  our  question-books 
and  lesson-helps — took  its  start.  And  the  sound 
principles  on  which  this  method  rested  ought  not  to 
be  lost  sight  of,  at  any  stage  of  our  progress. 

Gall's  idea  was,  to  set  the  children  at  finding  out 
from  the  words  they  had  read  or  repeated,  an  answer 
to  each  question  which  was  put  to  them  in  this  word- 
catechising  ;  and,  by  this  means,  to  train  them  into 
a  habit  of  thinking  for  themselves  before  giving  an 
answer  to  a  question,  instead  of  their  going  on 
mechanically  with  rote-recitations  from  memory,  as 
under  the  old-time  method — which  unfortunately  is 
not  yet  entirely  abandoned  in  our  Sunday-schools. 
For  example,  to  take  the  verse,  "  Behold,  a  sower 
went  forth  to  sow."  The  first  question  might  be : 
"  Who  went  forth  ?  "  The  scholars'  answer  would 
be,  "A  sower."  The  questioning  and  answering 
might  go  on :  "  For  what  did  this  sower  go  forth? " 
"  To  sow."  "  Who  was  it,  who  went  forth  ?  "  "A 
sower."  "  What  did  this  sower  do  ?  "  "  He  went 
forth ;  "  or,  "  He  went  forth  to  sow."  Now  that 
seems  a  very  simple  style  of  questioning ;  yet  it  is  a 
very  different  matter  from,  and  quite  in  advance 
of,  mere  rote-recitations  of  Bible  verses  or  of  catechism 
answers.  No  scholar  could  answer  the  simplest  of 
those  word-questions  by  a  parrot-process.  He  must 


Thomas  K.  Beecher's  Plan. 


179 


stop  and  think,  in  order  to  give  the  answer.  His 
reasoning  faculties  must  be  brought  into  play  in  look- 
ing after  and  deciding  upon  the  word,  or  the  words, 
which  furnish  a  fitting  answer — which  furnish  the  only 
answer  to  the  question  put  to  him.  And  all  this  is 
in  the  line  of  mind-quickening  and  of  mind-training. 
And  other  questions  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  words 
of  the  text,  and  as  to  the  lessons  and  applications  of 
those  meanings,  can  follow  in  their  order. 

This  method  of  James  Gall's  has  not  been  fairly 
superseded,  although  it  has  been,  at  many  points, 
improved  on,  by  the  progress  of  educational  methods 
up  to  the  present  time.  Those  teachers  who  are 
most  competent  and  who  are  most  successful  in  their 
practical  teaching  work  to-day,  follow  a  similar 
method,  whether  they  are  aware  of  its  origin,  or  sup- 
pose it  be  peculiarly  their  own.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
K.  Beecher  showed  his  admirable  qualities  as  a 
teacher  before  he  was  in  the  pastorate,  and  he  still 
evidences  his  teaching- power  in  the  guidance  and 
training  of  his  Sunday-school  teachers.  His  skill  as 
a  questioner  was,  and  is,  a  chief  characteristic  of  his 
teaching ;  and  his  methods  of  questioning  are  almost 
identical  with  those  of  Gall.  Writing  on  this  subject, 
some  time  ago,  he  said :  "  Standing  before  the  class, 
himself  fully  possessed  of  the  words  of  the  lesson 
[knowing  what  he  would  teach]  and  gathering  up 
the  eyes  of  the  children  [in  attention  to  himself]  a 
teacher  can  surprise  himself  by  the  amount  of  en- 


PAET  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Stopping  to 
thiuk. 


Gall's  plan 
newly  used. 


180 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  sower 
sowing. 


Only  a 
beginning. 


thusiasm  engendered  by  rapid  questions  [to  secure 
co- work] ,  such  as  follow.  The  object  that  the  teacher 
has  in  mind  is  to  break  up  the  purely  mechanical 
memorizing  of  the  lesson,  and  ascertain  that  the 
pupils  do  really  attach  some  sense  to  the  words  that 
they  have  first  accurately  recited.  6  Will !  say  the 
first  sentence  of  the  lesson  !  '  *  Behold,  a  sower 
went  forth  to  sow. '  <  A  what  ? '  (Pointing  to  a 
member  of  the  class,  as  a  quicker  way,  and  withal 
more  magnetic,  than  stopping  to  call  a  name.)  '  A 
sower.'  'What  did  he  do?'  <He  went  forth.' 
4  What  for  ? '  «  To  sow.'  "  And  of  this  method,  sim- 
ple and  even  frivolous  as  some  teachers  might  con- 
sider it,  Mr.  Beecher  says  :  "  As  the  result  of  years 
of  experience,  I  find  that  even  in  our  teachers'-meet- 
ing  this  class  of  questions  arrest  attention,  and 
amuse  and  fascinate  even  grown-up  people;  for 
when  asked  rapidly  and  with  spirit  they  require  the 
parties  engaged  in  the  exercises  to  keep  their  wits 
about  them,  and  be  perfect  masters  of  the  words  of 
the  lesson." 

These  word-questions  are  only  at  the  beginning  of 
the  questioning  process,  or  of  the  teaching-process — 
which  is  the  learning-process.  They  are  to  be  followed 
by  questions  which  lead  to  and  which  call  for  expla- 
nations and  comments  by  the  teacher,  and  again  by 
questions  which  aid  in  drawing  out  and  applying  the 
practical  lessons  of  the  Bible  passage  under  consider- 
ation. This  was  Gall's  plan,  and  Mr.  Beecher  fol 


Tie  Order  of  Questioning. 


181 


lows  the  same  method,  when  he  says :  "  In  our 
teachcrs'-meetings  we  recognize  three  grades  of 
questioning,  in  seme  one  of  which  we  practice  at 
every  meeting,  and  sometimes  in  all  three.  I  will 
call  them:  first,  questions  upon  the  words  of  the 
lesson;  second,  questions  that  exercise  the  intellect; 
third,  questions  that  develop  spiritual  truth  and 
apply  it." 

One  point,  however,  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  in  the 
progressive  steps  of  questioning.  Any  word  of  expla- 
nation or  of  comment  is  to  follow  a  question  which 
demands  it,  instead  of  being  given  before  the  ques- 
tion that  relates  to  it.  First  questions,  then  com- 
ments; not  first  comments,  then  questions.  That 
was  the  method  of  Socrates.  It  is  the  method  of  all 
the  best  teachers  in  our  day.  For  example,  not  every 
scholar  in  a  city  school  may  know  the  meaning  of 
the  term  "  a  sower."  Instead  of  taking  this  possible 
lack  of  knowledge  for  granted,  and  giving  the  infor- 
mation to  begin  with,  the  question  should  first  be 
asked,  "What  is  a  sower?"  Or,  "What  is  it  to 
sow  ?  "  If  no  scholar  in  the  class  can  answer  this 
question,  then,  and  not  before,  is  the  time  for  giving 
the  explanation.  *"  Some  may  perhaps  think,"  says 
Gall,  "  that  the  explanations  should  be  given  before 
the  children  are  catechized  on  the  passage,  rather 
than  after  it.  But  experience  has  shown  that  this  is 
incorrect.  The  children's  minds  are  better  prepared 
for  the  explanation  of  that  about  which  they  have 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CH  \PTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process 


Question* 
before  com- 
ments. 


182 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Rubbing  it  in 


Objections  to 
the  Gall 
method. 


heard  something,  than  of  that  about  which  they  as 
yet  know  nothing."  Or,  as  Mr.  Beecher  has  force- 
fully phrased  it :  "  Food  proffered  when  there  is  no 
appetite  is  nauseating.  Information  proffered  pre- 
maturely is  worse  than  wasted.  It  is  stupefying, 
hardening."  Information  is  most  timely  to  scholars, 
he  suggests,  when  the  process  of  questioning  and 
answering  "  culminates  at  last  in  a  question  which 
they  all  wish  they  could  answer,  and  their  eyes  turn 
with  hunger  to  the  teacher.  Then,  and  not  till  then, 
it  is  time  to  teach" — hy  causing  the  scholars  to 
know  what  they  are  then  desirous  of  knowing. 
Even  then,  however,  as  Mr.  Beecher  goes  on  to  say, 
each  item  of  new  information  imparted  hy  the  teacher 
should  immediately  be  asked  for  back  again  from  the 
scholar,  and  farther  questioning  should  give  it  new 
shape  and  prominence  in  their  minds.  "  So,  to  use 
a  very  homely  simile,  we  grease  the  class  with  new 
information,  and  rub  it  in  while  they  shine  with 
intelligence  and  are  warm  with  interest, — rub  it  in 
with  questions."  And  so,  the  co-work  goes  on  in 
the  teaching-process. 

It  may  be  well  just  at  this  point  to  call  attention 
to  the  fact,  that  there  are  Christian  educators  who 
have  taken  exception  to  this  method  of  elementary 
word-questioning  on  a  Bible  lesson,  as  first  advo- 
cated by  Mr.  Gall,  and  as  employed  successfully  by 
very  many  since  his  day.  Indeed,  it  would  hardly 
be  right  to  ignore  the  fact,  that  the  specific  objec- 


Mr.  Fitch's  Objections. 


183 


tions  raised  against  this  method  by  Mr.  J.  G.  Fitch, 
an  eminent  English  educationalist,  in  an  otherwise 
admirable  essay  on  The  Art  of  Questioning,  which 
has  been  circulated  widely  by  the  London  Sunday 
School  Union,  arid  by  American  Sunday-school 
societies,  and  which  has  been  made  the  basis  of 
much  of  the  modern  normal-class  teaching  on  this 
important  theme,  have  been  the  means  of  misleading 
very  many  teachers,  and  of  giving  wide  currency  to 
radical  error  in  this  department  of  instruction. 

Mr.  Fitch  takes  as  an  example,  the  parable  of  the 
Good  Samaritan,  beginning  with  the  words,  "  A 
certain  man  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho." 
He  says  :  u  Some  teachers  would  proceed  to  question 
thus:  'Who  is  this  parable  about?'  (sic.)  4A  certain 
man.'  *  Where  did  he  go  from?'  *  Jerusalem.' 
*  Where  to  ?  '  '  Jericho.' '  And  so  on  through  the 
verse.  Now,  because  every  one  of  these  questions 
"  was  proposed  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  words  of 
the  book,  and  required  for  its  answer  one  (generally 
but  one)  of  these  words,"  Mr.  Fitch  thinks  that  their 
method  is  objectionable.  He  claims,  that  "  it 
is  very  easy  for  a  boy  or  girl,  while  the  echoes  of 
the  Bible  narrative  just  read  still  linger  in  the  ear, 
to  answer  every  such  question  by  rote  merely,  with 
scarcely  any  effort  of  memory,  and  no  effort  of 
thought  whatever."  Hence,  he  infers :  "  If  you  de- 
sire to  secure  a  thorough  understanding  of  the 
sacred  narrative,  it  will  be  necessary  to  propose  ques- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Radical 
error. 


The  Good 
Samaritan. 


184 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Mr.  Fitch's 
method. 


Objections  to 
the  objecter. 


tions  constructed  on  a  different  model,  avoiding  the 
use  of  the  exact  phraseology  of  Scripture,  and  re- 
quiring for  answers  other  words  than  those  contained 
in  the  narrative."  He  then  illustrates  his  idea  of 
wise  questioning  on  the  passage  named,  by  giving 
first  "  one  or  two  preliminary  questions,  for  instance : 
*  Who  used  these  words  ? '  *  To  whom  were  they 
spoken  ?  '  i  Why  were  they  uttered  ? '  <  Repeat  the 
question  which  the  lawyer  asked."  Then,  Mr. 
Fitch's  first  question  on  the  lesson  proper  would  be: 
"  What  is  the  parable  about  ? "  While  he  admits 
that  that  question  would  bring  "  various  answers," 
he  takes  it  for  granted  that  "  one  "  scholar  would 
answer,  "  A  man  who  went  on  a  journey ; "  although 
why  this  answer  should  come  to  that  question  any 
more  readily  than  to  the  question  (as  given  in  the 
other  plan)  "  Who  is  this  parable  about  ? "  he  does 
not  explain. 

It  will  be  observed,  that  the  answer  to  not  one  of 
the  preliminary  questions  asked  by  Mr.  Fitch  can  be 
learned  from  the  text  of  the  parable  on  which  he  is 
questioning — the  beginning  of  which  he  defines  by 
his  citation  of  its  "first  verse,"  as  the  basis  of  his 
example.  Yet  in  the  teaching-process  proper  no 
teacher  has  a  right  to  suppose,  at  the  start,  that 
his  scholars  are  prepared  on  points  outside  of 
the  lesson  text.  If,  indeed,  this  preliminary  ques- 
tioning by  Mr.  Fitch  be  based  on  knowledge  already 
communicated  by  the  teacher,  then  his  illustration 


Bidding  far  Guesses. 


185 


of  a  questioning  method  is  not  a  fair  one,  as  in  con- 
trast with  the  elementary  word-questioning  of  the 
Gall  system  already  condemned  by  him,  in  its  appli- 
cation to  the  passage  cited.  But,  apart  from  this, 
it  will  be  seen,  that  the  first  direct  question  on 
the  lesson-text  proposed  by  Mr.  Fitch,  "What  is 
the  parable  about  ? "  is  a  vague  and  indefinite  ques- 
tion, to  which  anyone  of  a  half-dozen  answers  would 
be  more  natural  than  the  one  which  the  questioner 
is  after.  Other  questions  asked  by  him  are  equally 
vague,  in  view  of  his  expected  answers.  Thus: 
"  '  What  should  you  suppose  from  the  lesson  was  the 
state  of  the  country  at  that  time? '  '  Thinly  peopled; ' 
4 Road  unfrequented,'  etc.,  etc.  'How  do  you  know 
this?'  'Because  he  fell  among  thieves."3  If  the 
average  city  boy  would  suppose  that  thieves  were  to 
be  found  only  in  lonely  places,  he  must  be  unable  to 
read  the  notices,  "  Beware  of  Thieves, "  in  many 
a  place  where  crowds  assemble.  A  more  natural 
dialogue  would  seem  to  be:  "What  should  you 
suppose  from  the  lesson  was  the  state  of  the  country 
at  this  time?"  "It  was  occupied  by  a  thievish 
set."  "  What  makes  you  think  so  ? "  "  Because  this 
man  found  thieves  there."  In  short,  Mr.  Fitch's 
method  of  questioning  in  this  example,  while  imper- 
fect even  as  a  means  of  testing  the  knowledge 
acquired  by  scholars  in  previous  study,  is  utterly 
out  of  place  as  an  elementary  method  in  the  teach- 
ing-process proper.  And,  again,  Mr.  Fitch  confounds 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Vague  ques- 
tioning. 


186 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

1'rocess. 


Cranks  and 
parrots. 


The  three 

things 

wanted. 


a  u  rote "  recitation  (the  rotary-crank  recitation 
which  takes  no  knowledge  of  the  meaning  of  the 
words  recited)  with  an  intelligent  answering  of 
questions  upon  the  relation  of  the  several  memorized 
words  to  each  other  and  to  the  sentence  as  a  whole; 
confounds,  in  fact,  the  functions  of  the  sensorial 
ganglia  with  the  functions  of  the  cerebrum,  as  they 
have  been  already  referred  to  (at  page  89).  A  parrot 
can  give  a  rote  recitation ;  but  no  parrot  could 
answer  the  questions  condemned  by  Mr.  Fitch,  on 
the  opening  sentence  of  the  parable  cited  by  him. 

It  is  true,  that  the  word-questions  referred  to  are  very 
simple  and  quite  elementary,  and  that  no  lesson  could 
be  fairly  taught  by  such  questions  alone.  But  it  is  also 
true,  that  such  questions  perform  a  work  of  calling 
intelligent  attention  to  the  words  of  the  lesson-text, 
in  their  relations  and  in  their  more  obvious  meaning ; 
a  work  for  which  Mr.  Fitch's  method,  as  illustrated  by 
him,  makes  no  provision,  but  without  which  no  true 
teaching  of  a  Bible-lesson  can  progress  satisfactorily. 
The  first  thing  to  be  aimed  at  by  a  teacher  in  the 
teaching-process,  is  to  bring  the  scholar  to  know 
what  the  text  says.  That  knowledge  is  all  important, 
as  preliminary  to  a  knowledge  of  what  the  text 
means,  and,  yet  farther,  to  a  knowledge  of  what  the 
text  teaches.  This  order,  the  Gall  system  provides 
for.  This  order  seems  to  be  lost  sight  of  by  Mr. 
Fitch,  who  over  against  it  departs  from  sound  teach- 
ing principles,  and  flies  in  the  face  of  all  the  best 


A  Wrong  Use  of  Helps. 


187 


results  of  the  teaching  experience  of  the  last  half- 
centuiy.  Mr.  Fitch  has  done  excellent  service,  per- 
haps unequaled  service,  in  promoting  wise  teaching- 
methods  in  the  Sunday-school ;  but  on  this  one  point 
of  elementary  word-questioning  his  counsels  ought 
not  to  be  followed,  and  his  words  of  warning  ought 
not  to  have  weight. 

Just  here  it  may  be  said  by  some,  that  the  true 
method  of  questioning,  according  to  some  such  plan 
as  Gall's,  has  already  found  its  way  into  the  question- 
books  and  lesson-papers,  and  that  the  better  way  is, 
therefore,  to  follow  these  "  helps "  in  class-ques- 
tioning, rather  than  to  attempt  an  independent  pro- 
cess of  questioning.  In  response  to  this  suggestion, 
it  is  sufficient  to  say  :  first,  that  the  question-books 
and  lesson-papers  are  not  commonly  conformed  to 
Gall's  plan,  or  to  any  other  plan,  in  the  style  and 
order  of  their  questions ;  secondly,  that  if  they  were 
so  conformed,  they  ought  not  to  be  followed  blindly, 
nor  yet  to  be  made  use  of  in  the  class-exercise,  by 
either  teacher  or  scholar.  Question-books  and  les- 
son-papers may  be  of  service  as  helps  in  study,  but 
not  as  helps  in  the  teaching-process.  If,  indeed,  a 
teacher  knows  so  little  about  the  lesson  he  would 
teach,  that  he  cannot  ask  questions  concerning  it 
without  having  those  questions,  as  printed  or  written, 
all  the  time  before  his  eyes,  how  can  he  expect  his 
scholars  to  know  enough  about  that  lesson  to  answer 
those  questions  without  having  the  printed  or  writ- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Helps  are  not 
helps. 


188 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Talking  with- 
out notes. 


Buying  sub- 
stitutes. 


The  Bible,  or 
nothing. 


ten  answers  always  before  their  eyes?  When  a 
lawyer,  in  examining  or  in  cross-examining  a  wit- 
ness on  the  stand,  shall  read  off  all  his  questions 
from  a  paper  held  in  his  hand ;  when  any  two  men 
who  are  discussing  politics  shall  stand  up  before  each 
other  and  read  oft'  their  questions  and  answers  to 
each  other;  when  two  persons  in  ordinary  conversa- 
tion shall  follow  closely  their  written  notes  in  all 
that  they  say  on  both  sides, — then,  and  not  before, 
will  it  be  time  for  a  Sunday-school  teacher  to  con- 
sider the  propriety  of  his  relying  on  a  printed  set  of 
questions,  in  his  endeavor  to  aid  a  scholar  to  know 
wrhat  he  would  cause  him  to  know,  and  in  his  effort 
to  ascertain  how  much  that  scholar  already  does 
know. 

If,  indeed,  a  question-book  is  to  be  followed  closely 
in  Sunday-school  class-teaching,  a  teacher  would  seem 
t<  >  be  a  superfluous  ajjpendage  to  a  Sunday-school  class. 
Why  should  not  one  of  the  scholars  ask  the  questions 
from  the  book,  in  order  to  their  answering  by 
the  other  scholars  in  the  class?  In  this  way,  a 
Sunday-school  could  be  supplied  with  substitute- 
teachers  at  ten  dollars  a  hundred,  by  any  religious 
publishing  house.  And  there  are  Sunday-schools 
where  a  supply  of  this  sort  would  not  make  an 
observable  diminution  of  the  teaching-power  in  the 
several  classes. 

The  Bible  itself  may  properly  be  in  the  hands 
of  the  teachers  and  of  the  scholars,  for  reference  and 


Planning  for  the  Eight  Answer. 


189 


for  cross-reference,  in  the  process  of  teaching ;  but 
even  the  Bible  should  not  be  referred  to  during  the 
ordinary  direct  questioning  in  the  teaching-process. 
Each  statement  of  the  text  should  be  in  the  mind  of 
the  scholar,  not  in  his  eye,  while  he  is  being  ques- 
tioned concerning  its  words  and  their  meaning. 
When  the  intelligent  memorizing  of  the  text  can  be 
secured  in  advance,  there  is  a  decided  gain  in  that 
method  of  having  its  words  in  mind ;  but  in  the 
teaching-process  proper,  the  co-work  of  teacher  and 
scholar  must  be  directed  to  the  examination  and 
understanding  and  applications  of  the  lesson,  through 
a  simple,  natural,  and  informal  mode  of  questioning 
and  answering,  toward  the  desired  end. 

In  all  your  lesson-questioning,  you  must  know 
before  you  frame  each  question  just  what  answer 
you  would  have  that  question  bring  from  your 
scholar,  and  you  must  so  frame  your  question  as  to 
bring  that  answer,  a^jd  no  other,  as  its  natural  and 
proper  answer.  If,  indeed,  you  do  not  know  what 
answer  you  are  after,  how  can  your  scholar  know 
what  answer  he  shall  give  to  you  ?  Of  course,  if  you 
should  be  questioning  your  scholar  about  his  personal 
feelings  or  opinions,  or  should  be  seeking  informa- 
tion from  him  in  matters  beyond  your  own  knowl- 
edge, the  case  would  be  very  different.  You  could 
not  then  know  what  answer  your  question  would 
bring  from  him.  But,  in  lesson-questions  which  you 
are  asking  as  a  part  of  the  teaching-process,  you 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Having  the 
text  in  mind. 


Know  the 
answer  you 
want. 


190 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


How  should 
your  scholar 
know? 


All  about 
Pilate. 


should  always  have  the  desired  answer  in  mind,  and 
shape  your  question  for  it  accordingly.  If  you  find, 
in  any  instance,  that  a  question  which  you  have  put 
can  fairly  bring  any  other  answer  than  the  one  you 
had  in  mind  in  its  framing,  you  must  accept  that 
answer,  when  it  comes  to  you,  as  so  far  a  proper  one; 
and  if  you  still  seek  the  other  answer,  you  must  try 
again,  and  by  another  question,  for  its  obtaining. 
Yet  just  at  this  point  many  a  scholar  is  checked  and 
discouraged  in  his  answering  questions,  by  a  teacher 
who  questions  clumsily,  and  then  refuses  to  accept 
proper  answers  to  his  questions  because  they  do  not 
happen  to  be  the  very  answers  he  had  in  his  mind 
when  he  gave  his  vague  and  indefinite  questions. 

Let  me  illustrate  my  meaning.  I  sat  behind  a 
teacher  in  a  Sunday-school  I  visited.  He  had  a  class 
of  bright  lads,  say  from  thirteen  to  fifteen  years 
old.  The  day's  lesson  was  "Jesus  before  the 
Governor."  "  What  was  Pila^  ?"  asked  the  teacher. 
That  seemed  a  good  beginning.  The  question  was  a 
natural  one.  Why  could  not  the  scholars  answer  it  ? 
Its  shaping  had  not  cost  the  teacher  much  thought. 
He  little  dreamed  how  much  its  answering  would 
tax  his  scholars'  powers.  "  What  was  Pilate?"  "A 
Roman,"  answered  one  scholar.  That  was  right, 
but  it  proved  not  to  be  the  answer  that  the  teacher 
looked  for,  and  instead  of  accepting  it  as  correct, 
and  asking  another  question  to  bring  the  answer  he 
wanted,  he  replied  with  sharp  emphasis,  "  No,  no. 


What  was  Pilate  ? 


191 


What  was  Pilate  ?  "  The  boy,  who  had  done  his  best, 
and  had  given  a  correct  answer  only  to  be  told  he  was 
wrong,  did  not  try  again.  Why  should  he?  Another 
answered,  "  A  foreigner."  Right  again,  but  the 
teacher's  comment  was,  "  No,  no.  What  was  Pilate  ?  " 
After  some  hard  thinking,  it  seemed  to  strike  one 
of  the  boys  that  possibly  the  teacher  wanted  to  clas- 
sify Pilate  in  the  order  of  beings,  and  he  answered, 
"A  man."  This  also  was  fair  answer  to  the  question, 
but  the  teacher  received  it  as  if  it  were  a  triumph  of 
stupidity,  and  he  snapped  out  his  response  as  if  he 
Vvere  calling  the  class  a  pack  of  dunces,  "No,  NO, 
KO.  What  was  Pilate  ?  "  As  simple  answers  did 
not  seem  to  suit,  the  boys  set  their  busy  brains  at 
work,  and  it  occurred  to  one  that  the  character  of 
Pilate  was  perhaps  to  be  passed  on,  so  the  answer 
came,  "A  coward."  The  teacher  was  in  despair. 
His  scholars  were  hopeless.  It  was  of  no  use  trying 
to  make  them  learn  anything.  He  would  answer 
the  question  himself,  "  ~No ! "  he  replied  to  the 
suggested  answer;  "Pilate — was — the — -governor." 
The  tone  in  which  he  gave  this  information  showed 
that  he  was  ashamed  of  his  scholars,  and  his  scholars 
were  apparently  somewhat  ashamed  of  themselves. 
It  would  not  take  that  teacher  long  to  have  his 
scholars  so  that  they  would  answer  no  questions  in 
his  class. 

What  was  the  trouble  in  this  case  ?     It  certainly 
was  not  with  the   scholars.     They  did  their  best. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


What  Is 
truth? 


192 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


The  teacher 
at  fault. 


Look  to  your- 
self. 


Their  answers  were  as  good  as  could  have  been 
looked  for.  They  did  a  great  deal  more  thinking 
than  their  teacher.  I  followed  them  with  my  mind, 
as  they  were  questioned,  and  I  could  not  imagine 
what  answer  their  teacher  was  after.  The  trouble 
with  his  question  was,  it  was  quite  too  indefinite ; 
it  did  not  indicate  the  kind  of  information  which  he 
wanted.  But  still  he  put  the  blame  on  the  boys, 
which  fairly  belonged  on  their  teacher.  He  would 
not  learn  from  them.  When  he  asked,  "  What  was 
Pilate?"  and  they  answered,  " A  Roman,"  he  should 
have  replied,  "  Yes,"  and  then  have  asked  farther, 
"  And  what  office  did  he  hold  ?  "  or  some  such  ques- 
tion, to  bring  out  the  desired  answer.  If  his  original 
question  was  the  best  he  could  think  of,  he  ought  to 
have  seen  by  its  first  response  that  another  form  was? 
needed  to  indicate  the  information  he  sought. 

Whenever  a  strange  answer  comes  to  a  teacher's 
question,  the  teacher  should  try  to  see  if  it  is  not  a 
fair  answer,  even  though  it  be  an  unexpected  one. 
If  it  is  fair,  he  should  receive  it  as  correct,  and  ask 
himself  how  his  question  can  be  improved  on,  or 
supplemented,  for  his  special  purpose.  The  average 
scholar's  answers  are  better,  more  thoughtful  and 
appropriate,  than  the  average  teacher's  questions. 
Bear  this  fact  in  mind  while  before  your  class,  and 
understand,  when  no  answer,  or  a  wrong  answer,  comes 
to  one  of  your  questions,  that  the  trouble  is  probably 
not  with  your  scholars,  but  with  the  question  you 


The  Worth  of  Scholars'  Questions. 


193 


have  put  to  them.  Re-shape  that,  and  you  may  find 
your  scholars  brighter  than  you  had  supposed. 

Not  only  are  the  questions  of  the  teacher  to  be 
made  much  of  in  securing  the  co-work  of  the  schol- 
ars; but  the  questions  of  the  scholars  can  do  not  a 
little  in  this  direction.  A  question  from  a  scholar 
often  discloses  more  of  his  thoughts,  and  more  of 
his  "needs,  than  would  appear  through  a  score  of 
questions  from  his  teacher.  A  good  teacher  ought 
to  train  his  scholars  to  imitate  the  Holy  Child, 
who  while  he  was  yet  but  twelve  years  of  age  was  in 
one  of  the  Bible-schools  of  the  temple-courts,  sit- 
ting as  a  scholar  before  the  teachers  there,  "both 
hearing  them  and  asking  them  questions," — as  was 
the  custom  in  his  day  in  the  Jewish  schools,  and  as 
ought  to  be  the  custom  in  Christian  schools  in  our 
day.  Children  love  to  ask  questions.  It  is  for  their 
advantage,  and  for  the  advantage  of  the  teachers 
also,  that  they  be  encouraged  to  question  their 
teachers  freely  in  the  *  hour  of  co-work  for  lesson- 
learning. 

Nor  should  the  help  of  the  scholars'  eyes  be  over- 
looked in  the  effort  at  securing  the  co-work  of  schol- 
ars and  teachers.  Here  is  where  the  Bible  itself  may 
be  found  useful.  Other  verses  than  those  of  the 
lesson  are  to  be  sought  out.  Several  passages  are, 
perhaps,  to  be  brought  into  comparison  with  the  one 
now  in  hand.  One  scholar  may  be  asked  to  find  one 
passage,  in  his  Bible;  another,  to  look  up  another; 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 


Let  the  schol- 
ars question. 


Using  their 


194 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 


CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Class-slates. 


Map-draw- 
ing. 


and  so  on.  Or,  again,  all  may  be  asked  to  look  at 
one  passage  at  the  same  time.  Again,  it  may  be 
well  to  refer  to  a  map  in  one  of  the  Teachers'  Bibles, 
in  pointing  out  the  place  or  places  mentioned  in  the 
lesson.  All  may  bend  together  over  a  common  map, 
or  each  one  may  have  his  own  map  for  separate 
reference. 

The  use  of  slates  .in  the  class  has  already  been 
several  times  referred  to.  Well  used,  these  slates 
can  add  much  to  the  interest  and  profit  of  the 
school  exercises.  Small  folding  silicate  slates  are 
the  most  convenient.  Each  scholar  can  have  one ; 
so  also  can  the  teacher.  There  need  be  nothing  for- 
mal or  constrained  in  the  use  of  these  slates.  They 
are  to  be  used  when  wanted,  not  otherwise.  They 
will  be  found  more  and  more  helpful  by  those  who 
use  them  most  freely.  When,  for  example,  a  lesson 
treats  of  the  Tabernacle,  or  of  the  Temple,  the  form 
of  that  sanctuary  can  be  better  understood,  in  many 
classes,  through  the  scholars  sketching  on  their  slates 
the  outline  of  the  holy  place  and  the  holy  of  holies, 
and  marking  there  the  location  of  the  ark,  of  the  can- 
dlestick, of  the  altar  of  burnt-offering,  and  of  the  other 
furniture,  at  the  call,  and,  if  necessary,  with  the 
help,  of  the  teacher.  So,  again,  the  slates  can  be 
used  for  rude  map  drawing,  or  for  noting  the  rela- 
tive positions  and  distances  of  places  mentioned  in 
the  lesson-text. 

Even  when  no  material  objects  are  to  be  noted,  it 


Using  the  Class-Slates. 


195 


may  be  an  advantage  to  a  scholar  to  observe  and 
write  down  the  main  points  and  central  truth  of  the 
lesson  of  the  day,  as  they  are  successively  emphasized 
by  his  teacher.  As  the  principal  divisions  of  the 
lesson  are  brought  out,  one  by  one,  by  the  teacher, 
they  can  go  down  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  schol- 
ars' slates.  Then  a  proof  text  from  the  Bible  may 
be  entered  on  the  right-hand  side,  over  against  each 
division.  These  texts  may  be  noted  in  the  class,  or 
they  may  be  afterwards  looked  up  at  home  by  the 
scholar,  and  shown  to  the  teacher  the  next  Sunday. 
Each  scholar  may  be  asked  to  write  on  his  slate,  at 
the  close  of  the  hour,  the  one  important  lesson  he 
has  personally  received  from  the  day's  lesson,  that  it 
may  stand  out  clearly  in  his  own  mind  and  be  recog- 
nized by  his  teacher.  A  single  text  of  Scripture  to 
enforce  the  teachings  of  the  day  may  be  entered  on 
the  slates,  to  be  memorized  by  the  scholars  and 
recited  subsequently. 

The  scholars  may  be  asked  to  show  the  slates  to 
their  parents  on  their  return  home,  and  to  request 
their  parents  to  question  them  on  the  meaning  of 
what  is  written  there.  The  slates  may  be  brought 
again  the  next  Sunday,  either  with  or  without  the 
notes  on  them,  that  the  truths  emphasized  may  be 
reviewed  at  the  opening  of  the  school,  from  sight  or 
memory.  Or  the  scholars  may  be  induced  to  bring 
their  own  outline  of  the  new  lesson  on  their  slates, 
for  the  teacher's  examination ;  and,  thus,  co-work,  all 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Noting  the 
main  points. 


Carrying 
them  home* 


196 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Tea-  hing 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Co- work,  with 
the  slate. 


All  three  at 
once. 


the  week  through,  will  be  promoted.  The  scholars 
are  certainly  likely  to  have  an  added  interest  in  the 
lesson,  and  to  leave  the  class  with  a  better  under- 
standing of  its  facts  and  teachings,  if  they  have  writ- 
ten down  its  main  divisions,  or  have  noted  its  appli- 
cation to  themselves.  Attention  is  also  fixed  and 
held  in  the  class  through  a  call  to  look  at  the  teacher's 
slate,  as  he  outlines  an  object,  or  notes  a  division  of 
the  lesson ;  with  a  request  that  the  scholars  will  put 
the  same  on  their  slates. 

Many  a  teacher  has  gained  a  new  hold  on  his  class 
through  the  introduction  and  judicious  use  of  slates. 
It  will  be  a  surprise  to  almost  any  teacher  who  has 
not  before  made  use  of  them,  to  find  how  frequently 
they  come  into  service,  and  how  important  a  place 
they  fill,  when  once  they  are  available  in  his  class. 

And  so,  in  one  way  and  another,  the  co-work  of 
scholars  and  teachers  can  be  secured  in  the  progress 
of  the  teaching-process.  And  so,  in  one  way  or 
another,  the  co-wTork  of  scholars  and  teachers  must 
be  secured,  or  there  is  no  progress  in,  and  no  possible 
completion  of,  the  teaching-process, — which  is  the 
learning-process. 


Although  the  three  phases  of  the  threefold  teach- 
ing-process— attention, on  the  scholar's  part;  making 
truth  clear,  on  the  part  of  the  teacher;  co-work,  by 
teacher  and  scholar,  in  the  transfer  of  truth  from  the 


A  Threefold  Process. 


197 


mind  of  the  teacher  to  the  mind  of  the  scholar — 
have  now  been  treated  separately  in  their  examina- 
tion and  enforcement,  it  is  to  be  understood  that  they 
are  not  separate  and  distinct  processes,  but  are  inter- 
working  phases  of  the  one  threefold  process.  A 
teacher  is  not  to  see  to  it,  that  at  one  time  his  scholar 
gives  him  his  attention,  that  at  another  time  he 
makes  clear  the  truth  he  would  teach  to  that  scholar, 
and  that  at  yet  another  time  he  and  the  scholar 
co-work  to  a  common  end.  On  the  contrary,  the 
teacher  is  to  see  to  it  that,  at  all  times  while  he  is 
teaching : — he  has  his  scholar's  attention,  he  is  making 
clear  what  he  would  teach,  and  he  and  his  scholar  are 
co-working  in  the  teaching-process.  The  co-working 
is,  in  fact,  to  go  on  from  the  beginning  of  the  lesson  - 
exercise ;  the  scholar  meanwhile  giving  his  attention, 
and  the  teacher  making  clear  that  which  he  would 
teach.  And  so  the  teaching-process — which  is  the 
learning-process — must  go  on,  if  it  goes  on  at  all. 


Up  to  this  point,  only  the  essential  elements  of  the 
teaching-process  have  been  considered;  only  those 
things  without  which  the  teaching-process  cannot  be 
complete.  It  is  now  time,  however,  to  speak  of 
reviewing  as  an  element  of  successful  teaching;  and 
although  it  must  be  conceded  that  teaching  is  possi- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Going  on 
together. 


The  next  step. 


198 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Reviewing  is 
also  threefold 


"ble  without  reviewing,  it  can  fairly  be  claimed  that 
there  is  no  certainty  of  the  completion  of  the  teaching- 
process  without  a  measure  of  reviewing,  and  that 
the  highest  attainment  of  the  teaching- process  is 
impossible  except  in  conjunction  with  wise  reviewing. 
Hence,  the  methods  of  reviewing  cannot  fairly  be 
omitted  from  the  methods  of  the  teaching-process. 

"  Reviewing"  is  a  term  much  misunderstood.  It 
is  often  looked  upon  as  synonymous  with  "  reitera- 
tion," or  as  "  repetition,"  or  as  "  recapitulation,"  or 
as  "  revision ;."  yet,  in  fact,  it  means  a  great  deal 
more  than  any  one  of  these  terms,  or,  perhaps,  than 
them  all.  Reviewing,  like  any  other  phase  of  the 
teaching-process,  has  its  threefold  aspects,  including 
one  aspect  for  the  scholar,  one  aspect  for  the  teacher, 
and  one  aspect  for  teacher  and  scholar  conjointly. 
Reviewing  includes  the  testing  of  the  scholar's 
knowledge,  the  fastening  more  firmly  the  truth  taught 
by  the  teacher,  and  the  new-viewing,  by  teacher 
and  scholar,  of  the  lesson,  or  lessons,  as  a  whole. 
Reviewing  goes  to  show  what  the  scholar  has  learned, 
to  fix  what  the  teacher  has  taught,  and  to  bring 
before  teacher  and  scholar  all  that  which  has  been 
taught  or  learned,  into  new  light  and  into  new  re- 
lations. On  the  success  of  reviewing,  therefore, 
hinges  the  measure  of  success  of  the  entire  teaching- 
process. 


The  Need  of  Review-  Tests. 


199 


METHODS:  IN  REVIEW. 

I. 
TESTING  THE  SCHOLARS  KNOWLEDGE. 

Examinations  Needful  in  all  Schools;  A  New  Application  of 
Pharaoh's  Dream ;  Necessity  of  Frequent  Testings ;  Elijah  and 
Ahab ;  One  Scholar's  Progress ;  Methods  of  Test  Questioning ; 
Father  Paxson's  Trouble;  Getting  what  You  Want,-  The  Test 
in  Testing. 

EXAMINATIONS  are  counted  essential  in  all  schools 
but  the  Sunday-school.  It  is  universally  understood 
that  a  scholar  can,  in  one  way  and  another,  pass  the 
ordinary  class  recitations  fairly  well,  without  being  a 
master  of  the  lessons  gone  over;  and  the  examina- 
tions at  the  close  of  a  week,  or  a  month,  or  a  year, 
are  relied  on  for  the  testing  of  the  real  attainment 
made  by  the  scholars  in  any  branch  of  study — except 
Bible  study.  But  Bible  knowledge  is  to  be  secured 
through  the  same  mental  processes  as  any  other 
knowledge,  and  the  testing  of  the  knowledge  gained 
by  a  scholar  in  the  study  of  the  Bible  must  be  by  the 
same  method  as  his  testing  in  any  other  department 
of  knowledge.  Hence  the  examination  of  a  scholar 
by  some  method  of  reviewing  is  essential  to  the  test- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Testing  is 
needful. 


200 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Pharaoh's 
dream. 


A  Sunday- 
school 
famine. 


ing — to  the  ascertaining — of  that  scholar's  knowledge 
in  the  line  of  his  Bible  lessons  thus  far. 

Review-Sunday  examinations  are  not  always  cal- 
culated to  encourage  a  teacher  concerning  the  pro- 
gress of  his  scholars,  or  the  success  of  his  work;  but 
they  are  none  the  less  important  for  all  that.  Pha- 
raoh's dream,  which  Joseph  interpreted,  seems  to 
have  had  something  of  the  nature  of  a  review- 
examination,  as  that  testing-time  shows  itself  in 
many  a  Sunday-school.  The  "seven  kine,  fat-fleshed 
and  well-favored,"  which  came  up  out  of  the  river, 
may  pass  for  so  many  well-selected  Bible  lessons. 
The  "  meadow  "  in  which  those  kine  were  feeding 
answers  to  the  Sunday-school.  "  The  seven  other 
kine,"  that  were  "  poor  and  very  ill-favored  and  lean- 
fleshed,"  represent  a  too  common  style  of  scholars 
in  our  Sunday-school.  Those  ate  up  the  first  kine, 
without  being  the  fuller  for  it.  These  devour  the 
lessons  which  are  found  in  the  Sunday-school  meadow ; 
but  they  give  very  little  evidence  of  their  good 
feeding.  "The  lean  and  the  ill-favored  kine  did  eat 
up  the  first  seven  fat  kine :  and  when  they  had  eaten 
them  up,  it  could  not  be  known  that  they  had  eaten 
them;  but  they  were  still  ill-favored,  as  at  the  begin- 
ning." A  great  many  scholars  have  nothing  to  show 
for  their  seven  weeks,  or  their  seven  months,  of 
abundant  feeding  in  the  Sunday-school  meadow. 
Joseph  told  Pharaoh  that  this  state  of  things  in  his 
i  day  indicated  a  danger  of  famine,  in  the  meadows 


What  Have  the  Scholars  Gained  f 


201 


of  Egypt.  It  is  fair  to  take  a  similar  view  of  the 
danger  at  the  present  time,  in  the  application  of  this 
dream  to  our  Sunday-school  meadow. 

When  review-Sunday  brings  the  testing-time  which 
this  dream  would  seem  to  illustrate,  every  teacher 
ought  to  face  the  question :  What  have  your  scholars 
gained  from  the  study  of  the  past  quarter's  lessons  ? 
You  have  taught  your  scholars  twelve  lessons :  have 
your  scholars  anything  to  show  for  them  ?  Can  your 
scholars  recall  the  main  facts  of  those  lessons  ?  Can 
they  re-state  the  spiritual  teachings  or  the  practical 
applications  of  those  lessons  ?  If  indeed  the  exami- 
nation shows  that,  so  far  as  assimilated  Bible  nour- 
ishment is  concerned,  your  scholars  are  as  poor  and 
as  lean-fleshed  and  as  ill-favored  as  at  the  beginning, 
so  that  it  cannot  be  known  through  the  testing-pro- 
cess that  they  have  had  anything  to  eat  since  they 
came  up  into  the  Sunday-school  meadow,  you  have 
good  reason  to  be  disturbed,  and  to  set  yourself  at 
work  vigorously  to  guard  your  scholars  against  the 
famine  which  imperils  them.  Whether  it  be  dis- 
heartening or  cheering  to  you,  a  review-examination 
of  your  scholars  is  essential  to  your  understanding 
of  their  success  and  your  success,  in  your  and  their 
common  work;  for  not  what  the  scholars  have 
studied,  but  what  they  have  to  show  for  their  study- 
ing, is  the  real  measure  of  progress  in  your  class ;  as 
it  is  in  every  other  teacher's  class. 

Nor  is  it  only  by  a  periodical  and  formal,  far  less 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 


The  real  test 
of  progress. 


202 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Informal 
reviewing. 


teachers 
experience. 


is  it  only  by  a  written,  examination  of  a  series  of 
Bible  lessons  gone  over  by  a  scholar,  that  a  scholar 
is  to  be  tested  as  to  the  knowledge  gained  by  him, 
in  his  studies,  or  through  his  teacher's  teaching  of 
him.  The  testing-work  must  go  on  in  conjunction 
with  the  other  portions  of  the  teaching-process ;  and 
the  reviewing  must  be  frequent,  and  at  times  infor- 
mal, as  well  as  being  also  at  stated  times  and  more 
formal :  at  the  close  of  one  day's  lesson,  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  lesson  the  next  Sunday ;  sometimes  in  mid- 
lesson,  again  at  the  close-of  the  month,  or  the  quarter, 
and  so  on,  all  through  the  period  of  a  teacher's  work 
of  teaching. 

Most  teachers  would  be  surprised  at  finding,  by 
any  fair  testing  of  their  work,  how  little,  compara- 
tively, has  been  gained  by  their  scholars,  or  rather 
how  much  which  they  supposed  they  had  made  clear 
has  been  missed  by  their  scholars,  in  any  lesson,  or  in 
any  series  of  lessons  of  their  teaching.  And  here  is 
one  of  the  real  advantages  of  the  testing  nature 
of  review-methods  in  the  teaching-process. 

One  of  my  daughters,  who  seemingly  had  real 
tact  in  dealing  with  little  children,  and  who  certainly 
had  unusual  love  for  the  teaching-work,  had  a  good 
illustrative  experience  in  this  line,  at  the  very  begin- 
ning of  her  Sunday-school  teaching  life.  The  class 
given  to  her  was  composed  of  children  just  out  from 
the  primary  department.  The  lesson  for  the  day 
was  about  Elijah  and  Ahab.  My  daughter  delighted 


What  One  Test  Revealed. 


203 


in  pictorial,  or  descriptive,  teaching.  Graphically 
and  vividly  she  pictured  in  simple  language  the 
appearance  of  Ahab  and  Elijah,  explaining  at  every 
point  the  characteristics  and  relative  positions  and 
circumstances  of  Ahab,  the  idolatrous  king  of  Israel, 
and  of  Elijah,  the  rugged  and  courageous  prophet 
of  Jehovah.  The  children  listened  as  for  their  lives. 
They  were  all  attention.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
on  that  point.  And  when  she  had  finished  that 
story,  she  proceeded  confidently  to  test  her  scholars' 
knowledge  of  it.  Addressing  a  young  girl,  whose 
large  bright  eyes  had  never  turned  from  her 
teacher's  face  during  the  spirited  recital,  and  who 
was  still  all  attent  on  her  teacher's  words,  she  said 
pleasantly  :  "  And  now  I  want  to  see  what  you  re- 
member of  what  I  have  told  you.  "Who  was  this 
Ahab  ?  "  The  child's  answer  came  back  promptly, 
"  God."  That  was  discouraging.  My  daughter 
came  home  with  a  heavy  heart,  and  told  me  of  her 
failure. 

To  her  this  was  a  mystery.  To  my  mind  it  was 
perfectly  explicable.  That  little  girl  was  not  lacking 
in  natural  brightness,  but  she  had  never  been  trained 
to  independent  thought.  She  had  listened  to  the 
story  with  hearty  interest,  and  had,  probably,  even 
gained  a  general  impression  of  its  main  tenor.  But 
she  was  unaccustomed  to  stop  and  reflect  on  what 
she  had  heard,  and  a  direct  question  like  the  one 
given  her,  concerning  the  details  of  a  narrative  to 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Who  was 
Ahab? 


A  lack  of 
training. 


204 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PABT  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process 


Meeting  the 
difficulty. 


1'rogress 
nnder  wise 
methods. 


which  she  had  just  listened,  was  only  a  bewilderment 
to  her.  There  was  no  reason  why  she  should  give 
one  answer  rather  than  another,  save  that  "God" 
would  seem  to  be  a  safe  answer,  a  "good"  answer,  to 
any  Sunday-school  question;  so  that  was  ventured  on 
with  a  grotesque  inaptness.  All  this  I  explained  to 
my  daughter,  and  then  I  gave  her  some  of  these  prac- 
tical points  about  the  essentials  and  the  methods  of 
the  teaching-process,  emphasizing  especially  the  im- 
portance of  carrying  her  scholars  along  with  her  in 
co-work,  and  of  testing  their  knowledge  sentence  by 
sentence  as  she  made  the  truth  clear  to  them,  until 
they  were  more  accustomed  to  study  and  to  reflection, 
as  supplemental  to  their  attentive  hearing. 

It  may  be  well  to  adc£  that  by  these  methods  that 
teacher  brought  that  scholar  steadily,  and  even 
rapidly,  forward  in  habits  of  Bible-study,  so  that 
at  the  close  of  the  first  year  in  that  class,  that  same 
scholar  stood  first  on  the  list  for  accuracy  and  com- 
pleteness, in  a  written  examination  of  an  entire 
quarter's  lessons, — first  not  in  her  class  alone,  but 
in  a  school  of  several  hundred  scholars.  So  it  may 
be  seen,  that  the  testing  of  a  scholar's  knowledge  by 
some  method  of  reviewing  may,  on  the  one  hand,  be 
a  means  of  immediate  confusion  and  regret,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  may  tend  to  the  ultimate  bringing 
of  a  scholar  into  habits  of  thoughtful  endeavor, 
which  but  for  some  such  method  would  never  have 
been  cultivated  properly. 


Methods  of  Testing. 


205 


The  methods  of  testing  a  scholar's  knowledge  are 
quite  as  simple  as  the  methods  of  teaching  truth  to  a 
scholar.  In  fact,  he  who  can  teach,  will  have  no 
difficulty  in  testing  the  results  of  his  teaching.  The 
real  harrier  to  the  testing-process,  which  stands  in 
the  way  of  its  exercise  by  many  a  teacher,  is  the 
fact  that  no  teaching-process  has  gone  hefore  it.  If 
a  "  teacher  "  has  been  contented  with  telling  truth 
to  a  scholar,  he  has  not  taught  that  scholar ;  hence 
it  will  not  be  easy  for  him  to  test  the  results  of  a 
teaching  which  never  existed.  Moreover,  as  intelli- 
gent questioning  is  a  chief  agency  in  the  testing- 
process  while  it  has  no  part  in  the  telling-process, 
the  teacher  who  relies  on  telling  as  a  means  of  teach- 
ing is  naturally  unskilled  in  the  true  testing  method. 
He,  also,  who  has  counted  the  hearing  of  a  recita- 
tion as  teaching,  has  not  even  attempted  the  impart- 
ing of  knowledge  to  his  scholar,  and  there  is  no 
reasonableness  in  an  effort  by  him  to  test  the  efficacy 
of  a  teaching-process  which  he  has  never  undertaken. 
Even  though  he  has  asked  the  scholar  a  series  of 
printed  questions  as  a  means  of  securing  the  schol- 
ar's recitation,  he  has  acquired  thereby  no  experience 
which  would  aid  him  in  asking  other  questions 
which  should  test  the  scholar's  real  knowledge  of 
the  subject  matter  of  his  recitation.  If,  indeed, 
there  were  testing-questions  printed  in  the  "  lesson- 
help,"  the  teacher  might  ask  them  of  the  scholar, 
and  they  would  go  for  what  they  were  wrorth.  But 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


No  teaching, 
no  testing. 


206 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Asking  test- 
questions. 


that  would  be  the  lesson-help's  testing  of  its  own 
work ;  not  the  teacher's  testing  of  his  work. 

The  first  thing  for  a  teacher  to  consider  in  the 
testing-process  is  the  question  of  what  he  has  tried 
to  teach  the  scholar,  and  what  he  wants  the  scholar 
to  have  in  his  mind.  When  the  teacher  is  clear  on 
these  points,  it  is  a  very  simple  and  a  very  easy  thing 
to  ask  questions  of  the  scholar  accordingly.  Take, 
for  example,  that  lesson  on  Elijah  and  Ahah.  After 
the  teacher  has  endeavored  to  cause  the  scholar  to 
know  who  Ahab  was,  and  who  Elijah  was  (not  by 
merely  telling  the  truth  to  the  scholar,  but  by  means 
of  the  teaching-process  proper,  including  the  ques- 
tioning of  the  scholar  on  these  points  before  giving 
the  needful  information),  then  the  teacher  desires  to 
test  his  scholar's  knowledge  so  far.  He  may  begin 
in  this  way :  "  How  many  men  have  I  told  you 
about?"  ""What  was  the  name  of  one  of  them  ?" 
"  What  was  the  name  of  the  other?  "  «  What  office 
(or  what  rank,  or  station,  or  place)  did  one  of  these 
men  hold  ? "  "  What  was  the  office  (or  mission)  of 
the  other?"  "Which  was  the  king?"  «  Which 
was  the  prophet  ?  "  "  What  is  a  king  ?  "  "  What  is 
a  prophet?"  "  Tell  me  what  you  can  about  Ahab." 
"  Tell  me  what  you  can  about  Elijah."  Questions  like 
these  would  test  quite  fully  the  knowledge  of  any 
scholar  on  this  starting  point  of  the  lesson;  and  some 
such  testing  as  this  is  an  important  element  in  perfect- 
ing, and  in  giving  proof  of,  the  teaching-process. 


Knowing  What  You  Are  to  Test. 


207 


A  few  testing-questions  might  well  be  asked  at 
the  close  of  every  lesson,  and  again  at  the  beginning 
of  every  subsequent  one.  In  shaping  these  ques- 
tions, a  teacher  ought  to  have  clearly  in  his  mind  just 
that  portion  of  the  truth  he  has  endeavored  to  teach, 
which  he  deems  it  most  i  mportant  for  his  scholar  to 
know  and  remember.  The  absence  of  this  knowledge 
in  the  teacher's  mind  is  the  chief  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  review-questions  for  testing  purposes  by  the 
average  Sunday-school  teacher.  Good  "  Father 
Paxson,"  the  veteran  Sunday-school  missionary  of 
the  West,  used  to  tell  of  his  first  day  in  Sunday- 
school,  when  he  was  set  to  teach  a  class,  while  yet 
he  had  no  experience  as  either  scholar  or  teacher. 
He  heard  the  scholars  recite  their  memorized  Bible 
verses  faithfully ;  and  he  had  the  idea — as  so  many 
still  have  it — that  that  was  teaching  a  class.  Then 
the  scholars  asked  him  if  he  would  question  them 
on  their  lesson ;  if  he  would  ask  them  testing-ques- 
tions. But  that  was  quite  out  of  his  range  of  think- 
ing. "  I  told  them,"  he  afterwards  said,  "  that  there 
was  nothing  in  particular  in  that  lesson  that  I  wanted 
to  inquire  about."  And  many  a  teacher  since  his 
day  has  failed  of  asking  testing-questions  of  his 
scholars  for  the  same  reason  as  Father  Paxson's — 
there  is  nothing  in  particular  in  the  lesson,  which  the 
teacher  has  tried  to  teach,  or  concerning  which  he 
wants  to  test  the  knowledge  of  his  scholars.  But 
when  a  teat-her  has  tried  to  teach  anything  in  par- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Father  Pax- 
son's  first 
teaching. 


Nothing  to 

inquire 

about. 


208 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  to  ques- 
tion about. 


The  test  in 
testing. 


tieular  he  has  no  trouble  in  testing  the  success  of  his 
endeavor. 

The  same  standard  of  questioning  for  a  series 
of  lessons,  during  a  month,  or  a  quarter,  or  a  year, 
should  be  recognized  by  a  teacher  in  the  testing  of 
his  scholars,  as  for  a  single  lesson.  What  did  you 
seek  to  cause  your  scholars  to  know  during  that 
period  ?  Question  about  that.  If,  indeed,  you 
count  the  titles  and  topics  and  golden  texts  of  the 
lessons  the  chief  matters  of  concern  in  the  quarter's 
lessons,  by  all  means  confine  your  test-questions  to 
them.  If,  however,  you  have  tried  to  fasten  the 
main  facts  of  the  lessons  severally  in  your  scholars' 
minds,  let  your  test  questions  be  directed  to  them. 
If,  again,  you  have  given  a  chief  place  to  the  teach- 
ings and  applications  of  the  lessons  as  they  came 
before  your  class,  your  questions  should  be  shaped 
accordingly,  in  the  testing  of  your  work  in  its  review. 
Whether  it  be  bones,  or  solid  meat,  or  nutritious 
juice,  that  you  would  have  the  scholars  lay  hold  of 
for  their  nourishment,  see  to  it  that  your  scholars 
understand  your  desire,  and  that  your  testing-ques- 
tions be  all  conformed  to  your  deliberate  and  care- 
fully matured  plan. 

And  bear  ever  in  mind  this  truth,  as  both  an  in- 
centive and  a  guide  in  your  test-questioning :  The 
true  measure  of  your  scholar's  knowledge  on  any 
subject  of  study,  is  not  what  you  have  declared  to 
him,  not  what  he  seemed  to  understand  of  your 


A  Test  of  the  Teacher's  Success. 


209 


teaching,  but  what  he  can  re-state  to  you  in  his  own 
language  as  you  and  he  go  over  it  again  together.  It 
is  a  very  common  thing  for  us  to  say,  when  we  are 
asked  about  one  thing  or  another — about  something 
that  we  have  often  had  in  our  minds — that  we  know 
all  about  it,  but  cannot  express  our  knowledge  in 
words.  As  a  rule,  this  is  not  a  true  statement  of 
the  case.  If  we  have  definite  knowledge  on  a  given 
subject  of  inquiry,  we  can  express  that  knowledge  in 
words;  and  just  to  the  extent  of  our  inability  to  so 
express  ourselves,  are  we  lacking  in  definiteness  of 
knowledge.  The  truth  is,  that  we  have  a  good 
many  vague  ideas  on  many  a  subject,  which  we  con- 
found with  real  knowledge  of  that  subject.  And 
so  it  is  with  our  scholars. 

Test-questioning,  therefore,  is  a  test  of  the 
teacher's  success  quite  as  fully  as  it  is  of  the  scholar's 
attainment.  It  is  alike  important  and  valuable  to 
both  teacher  and  scholar. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


If  you  know, 

say  so. 


210 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


A  threefold 
gain. 


n. 

FASTENING  THE  TRUTH  TAUGHT. 

Over  and  Over  Again;  A  Lesson  from  the  Jesuits;  How  Much 
Reviewing  is  in  Order ;  Our  Liability  to  Forget ;  The  Method  of 
Jesus:  Paul's  Method;  Repetition  as  a  Pulpit  Power;  Repetition 
in  Literature;  Class  Methods  of  Repetition. 

IT  is  not  alone  in  testing  the  measure  of  knowledge 
already  imparted  to  the  scholar,  that  the  work  of  re- 
viewing has  its  importance  and  value,  in  connection 
with  the  teaching-process.  Reviewing  has  also  much 
to  do  with  deciding  the  measure  of  knowledge  se- 
cured by  the  scholar.  Reviewing,  not  only  shows 
how  much  the  scholar  has  been  caused  to  know  of 
the  truth  which  his  teacher  has  brought  before  him ; 
it  also  causes  the  scholar  to  know  much  that  other- 
wise he  would  not  know ;  and,  again,  it  enables  him 
to  continue  to  know  much  that  he  was  caused  to 
know,  for  the  time  being,  but  which  he  would 
again  cease  to  know,  if  he  were  never  reviewed  in 
his  attainments  of  knowledge. 

We  rarely  learn  a  truth,  or  a  thing,  by  a  single 
hearing  or  a  single  effort  at  doing.  A  little  child 
has,  commonly,  to  have  a  word  said  over  to  him 


Over  and  Over  Again. 


211 


/nany  times  before  he  can  say  it  plainly  himself.  As 
he  grows  older,  he  has  to  practice  his  lessons  repeat- 
edly, in  order  to  their  learning.  So  simple  a  thing 
as  the  drawing  of  a  straight  line,  or  the  making  of 
the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  is  not  to  be  done  off-hand 
at  the  first  showing  how.  Seldom  can  even  a  sincere 
lover  of  music  catch  a  new  tune  which  fastens  his 
attention  and  delights  his  ear,  if  he  hears  it  no  more 
than  once.  And  there  are  not  many  who,  in  the  full 
maturity  of  their  powers,  can  make  their  own,  by  a 
single  reading,  an  attractive  poem,  which  they  under- 
stand at  the  fullest,  and  which  takes  a  hold  of  their 
innermost  being  in  its  thought  and  phrasing.  Men 
of  the  strongest  mental  powers  want  to  read  over 
and  over  again  those  books  which  they  value  most ; 
and  their  feeling  is,  that  they  could  not  learn  all  that 
those  books  can  teach  them  without  these  repeated 
readings.  And  so  it  is,  all  the  way  along  from  child- 
hood to  maturity :  reviewing  a  truth  once  learned  is 
essential  to  fastening  that  truth  firmly  in  the  mind 
that  has  received  it. 

The  schools  of  the  Jesuits,  as  perfected  under 
Aquaviva,  three  centuries  ago,  were  quite  in  advance 
of  anything  the  world  had  yet  known  in  the  educa- 
tional line ;  and  their  power  and  effectiveness  were 
such  as  to  stay,  in  large  measure,  the  progress  of  the 
Protestant  Reformation  in  Europe.  The  methods 
of  those  schools  are  still  worthy  of  imitation  at  many 
points.  In  their  system  of  teaching,  reviewing,  as  a 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4- 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Reviewing 
essential  to 
keeping. 


The  schools 
of  the  Jesuits. 


212 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 
The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Once  learn : 
twice  repeat. 


The  more 
you  review, 
the  more  you 
gain. 


means  of  fastening  the  truth  taught,  was  given  a 
large  prominence.  On  this  point,  Robert  Herbert 
Quick  says :  "  One  of  the  maxims  of  this  system  was : 
Repetitio  mater  studiorum  [Repetition  is  the  mother 
of  studies].  Every  lesson  was  connected  with  two 
repetitions :  one,  before  it  began,  of  preceding  work, 
and  the  other,  at  the  close,  of  the  wo^rk  just  done. 
Besides  this,  one  day  a  week  was  devoted  entirely  to 
repetition.  In  the  three  lowest  classes  the  desire  of 
laying  a  solid  foundation  even  led  to  the  second  six 
months  in  the  year  being  given  to  again  going  over 
the  work  of  the  first  six  months.  By  this  means, 
boys  of  extraordinary  ability  could  pass  through 
these  forms  in  eighteen  months,  instead  of  three 
years." 

It  is  probably  true,  that  the  relative  degrees  of 
attainment  in  knowledge  by  scholars  in  different 
classes,  under  teachers  of  the  same  grade  of  ability, 
in  our  Sunday-schools,  are  in  direct  proportion  to 
the  frequency  and  thoroughness  of  reviewing  by  the 
teachers  severally.  It  is  probably  also  true,  that 
from  one-quarter  to  one-half  of  the  entire  time  oc- 
cupied by  a  teacher  in  the  teaching-process  could  be 
employed  to  advantage  in  one  form  or  another  of 
reviewing,  in  any  and  every  class.  This  may  in- 
deed seem  a  strange  statement,  to  those  teachers 
who  are  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do  when  review- 
Sunday  comes  round,  four  times  in  a  year ;  but  the 
more  teaching  and  the  better  teaching  a  teacher 


Knowledge  Fastened  by  Reviewing. 


213 


does  between  review-times,  the  more  does  a  teacher 
value  the  opportunity  of  reviewing  his  work,  and 
the  better  use  does  he  make  of  such  an  opportunity. 
It  might,  indeed,  be  better  for  a  teacher  to  give 
only  four  Sundays  of  the  year  to  original  teaching, 
and  spend  the  other  forty-eight  Sundays  in  review- 
ing the  new  work  of  those  four,  than  for  him  to  fail 
in  taking  at  least  four  Sundays  in  the  year  for  the 
reviewing  of  the  work  of  forty-eight,  if  the  choice 
between  these  two  methods  had  to  be  made.  In 
the  one  case,  the  scholars  would  be  likely  to  know 
at  least  four  lessons  very  thoroughly.  In  the  other 
case,  the  scholars  would  not  be  likely  to  have  any 
one  lesson  firmly  and  intelligently  fastened  in  the 
mind.  If  any  one  lesson  were  thus  fastened,  the 
teacher  could  not  be  sure  of  the  fact,  without  the  test 
of  reviewing. 

Even  those  truths  which  have  been  fairly  learned, 
are  not  sure  to  be  retained  in  the  memory  without 
reviewing.  Whatever  may  be  said  of  the  indelible- 
ness  of  impressions  once  made  on  the  mind,  it  must 
be  admitted  that  not  all  which  we  have  known,  at 
one  time  and  another,  is  permanently  available  in 
our  memories.  Much  that  we  formerly  knew  well, 
is  now  as  if  we  had  never  known  it.  "Who  of  us 
can  recall  clearly  every  verse  of  poetry  which  he 
ever  recited  with  •ase  ?  Who  of  us  can  remember 
distinctly  every  anecdote  which  he  ever  told  or 
knew  ?  Who  of  us  carries  in  his  mind,  unfailingly, 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Four  lessons 
well  learned. 


Forgotten 
knowledge 


214 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PARTI. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Keeping 
kuowled^ 
fresh. 


Losing  one's 
own  tongue. 


all  the  explanations  concerning  the  modes  of  manu- 
facture and  the  ways  of  working,  of  everything  into 
which  at  any  time  he  looked  inquiringly  and  intelli- 
gently ?  Who  of  us  knows,  so  as  to  make  the 
knowledge  available,  the  full  contents  of  one  book 
in  ten  of  those  books  which  he  has  read  or  studied 
most  carefully,  or  which,  at  the  time,  he  mastered 
most  successfully  ?  If,  indeed,  we  do  carry  any  of 
these  things  always  in  our  mind,  is  it  not  because 
we  have  had  reason  to  review  the  truths  of  our  first 
learning,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  subsequently  ? 
It  is  not  merely  in  those  things  which  were  learned 
only  for  the  time  being,  that  reviewing  is  essential 
to  their  fresh  retention  in  the  memory.  It  is  the 
same  with  many  of  those  things  which  were  learned 
most  thoroughly  and  as  for  all  time.  Even  our 
"  mother  tongue "  is  no  exception  to  this.  Take  a 
child  who  has  already  learned  to  speak  and  read  and 
write  in  his  own  language,  and  carry  him  over  the 
ocean  to  live  among  those  whose  language  is  wholly 
different,  and  he  is  liable  to  lose  the  memory  of  the 
language  which  once  filled  all  his  mind,  and  was  as 
familiar  to  him  as  his  own  breathing.  This  was  the 
case  with  Dr.  Yung  Wing,  the  Chinese  student,  who 
had  his  second  education  in  America.  After  his 
graduation  from  Yale  College,  wiien  he  decided  to 
return  to  his  native  land,  with  %,noble  purpose  in 
behalf  of  those  who  were  of  his  own  blood,  he  found 
himself  necessitated  to  learn  the  Chinese  language 


Times  and  Methods  of  Reviewing. 


215 


over  again ;  because  it  had  not  been  reviewed  by 
him  in  all  the  years  of  his  absence  from  China.  And 
so  it  has  been  with  many  another  person. 

"Without  frequent  reviewing,  truths  once  learned 
by  us  most  thoroughly  are  liable  to  pass  from  our 
memories;  and,  again,  the  truths  which  are  now 
fresh  in  our  minds  will  fail  to  become  a  permanency 
there.  And  if  this  be  so  with  all  of  us,  there  is 
peculiar  need  of  frequent  reviewing  in  the  process 
of  teaching — which  is  a  process  of  causing  our 
scholars  to  know  that  which  we  would  have  them 
to  know  for  now  and  for  always. 

The  times  and  the  methods  of  wise  reviewing  for 
the  purpose  of  fastening  truth  in  the  scholar's  mind, 
are  not  materially  different  from  those  which  are 
desirable  for  the  testing  of  the  attainment  in  knowl- 
edge already  made  by  the  scholar.  That  which  is 
most  important  to  be  remembered  should  be  given 
largest  prominence  in  reviewing.  In  many  cases  a 
truth  should  be  reviewed,  or  repeated,  or  reiterated, 
at  the  time  of  its  first  mention.  That  was  the  way 
in  which  our  Lord  and  his  disciples  frequently  im- 
pressed a  truth  to  which  they  attached  peculiar 
importance ;  sometimes  with  a  slight  change  in  the 
phraseology  and  meaning,  and  again  in  the  very 
words  first  employed.  "  Jesus  looked  round  about, 
and  saith  unto  his  disciples,  How  hardly  shall  they 
that  have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God! 
And  the  disciples  were  amazed  at  his  words. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Causing  to 
know  for 
always. 


Our  Lord 
reviewing. 


216 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  threefold 
cord. 


Kejoice. 


Jesus  answereth  again,  and  saith  unto  them,  Chil- 
dren, how  hard  it  is  for  them  that  trust  in  riches 
to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God !  It  is  easier  for 
a  camel  to  go  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for  a  rich 
man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Again, 
"  Jesus  saith  to  Simon  Peter,  Simon,  son  of  John, 
lovest  thou  me  more  than  these?  He  saith  unto 
him,  Yea,  Lord ;  thou  kuowest  that  I  love  thee.  He 
saith  unto  him,  Feed  my  lambs.  He  saith  to  him 
the  second  time,  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou 
me  ?  He  saith  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord ;  thou  knowest 
that  I  love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him,  Tend  my  sheep. 
He  saith  unto  him  the  third  time,  Simon,  son  of 
John,  lovest  thou  me?  Peter  was  grieved  because 
he  said  unto  him  the  third  time,  Lovest  thou  me  ? 
And  he  said  unto  him,  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things, 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
Feed  my  sheep."  Can  any  one  doubt  that  these 
truths  were  more  firmly  fastened  in  the  minds  of  their 
hearers  by  their  threefold  repetition  in  immediate 
review  ?  Nor  was  that  an  uncommon  method 
with  our  Lord,  in  his  teaching. 

Paul  wanted  his  Philippian  converts  to  have  joy 
in  the  Lord's  service.  After  he  had  already  used 
the  words  "joy,"  and  "  rejoice,"  nearly  a  dozen, 
times  in  his  one  letter,  he  goes  on  to  repeat  his  in- 
junction to  rejoice,  with  a  defense  of  his  reiterations 
of  that  injunction :  "  Finally,  my  brethren,  rejoice 
in  the  Lord.  To  write  the  same  things  to  you,  to 


Dr.  Griffin's  Text. 


217 


me  indeed  is  not  irksome,  but  for  you  it  is  safe." 
And  then,  to  give  added  force  to  his  often  repeated 
injunction,  he  says:  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway: 
again  I  will  say,  Rejoice."  It  ought  not  to  be  irk- 
some to  any  teacher,  to  review  his  scholars  in  an 
important  truth  which  he  would  have  fastened  in 
Uheir  minds ;  and  to  them  it  is  safe.  It  was  in  that 
same  letter  to  the  Philippians,  that  Paul  said  again, 
of  his  review-methods,  "  Many  walk,  of  whom  I 
told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping." 
Old  Thomas  Fuller  says  of  this  improvement  in 
Paul's  later  form  of  putting  the  truth :  "  Formerly 
he  had  taught  it  with  his  tongue,  but  now  he 
taught  it  with  his  tears ;  formerly  he  taught  it  with 
words,  but  now  with  weeping." 

There  has  been  no  time  since  the  days  of  Paul 
when  there  was  not  an  added  power  in  simple 
repetition,  as  a  means  of  fastening  a  truth  in  the 
minds  of  hearers  or  readers.  Many  a  preacher  gives 
a  trip-hammer  force  to  the  text  from  which  he 
preaches,  by  bringing  it  down  on  the  ears  of  his 
hearers  at  the  conclusion  of  every  section — if  not, 
indeed,  of  every  few  sentences — of  his  discourse,  until 
that  text  is  sure  to  be  remembered  by  all  who 
listen  to  him,  even  if  nothing  else  that  he  brings 
to  them  finds  a  sure  lodgment  in  their  memories. 
The  story  is  told  of  Dr.  Edward  Dorr  Griffin, 
preaching  a  remarkable  sermon  during  one  of  his 
earlier  pastorates,  at  a  season  of  spiritual  declension, 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Tougue  and 
tears. 


A  trip- 
hammer text 


218 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  threefold 
cord. 


Refrains  and 
choruses. 


when  he  fastened  the  attention  and  impressed  the 
minds  of  all  his  hearers,  before  he  had  uttered  a 
single  word  of  his  own,  by  the  simple  threefold 
repetition  of  his  text,  in  solemn  earnestness:  "My 
soul,  wait  thou  only  upon  God ;  for  my  expectation 
is  from  him."  "My  soul,  wait  thou  only  upon  God; 
for  my  expectation  is  from  him."  "  My  soul,  wait 
thou  only  upon  God;  for  my  expectation  is  from 
him."  That  threefold  repetition  of  the  text  was  a 
whole  sermon  in  itself.  The  preacher  did  not  lose 
the  hold  thus  gained  on  his  hearers,  until  his 
whole  congregation  was  swayed  with  strong  emo- 
tion under  the  power  of  his  message  from  God  to 
them ;  and  that  sermon  was  the  beginning  of  a  great 
awakening  in  his  field  of  labor. 

The  power  of  repetition,  as  a  means  of  impressing 
and  fastening  a  thought  or  a  truth,  is  evidenced  in 
all  the  varied  range  of  literature.  It  is  shown  in 
those  refrains  and  choruses  of  popular  songs,  which 
are  remembered  when  all  the  other  lines  or  verses 
are  forgotten.  It  stands  out  in  those  reiterated  words 
which  make  and  mark  the  remembered  burden  of  a 
poem,  like  the  "  Nevermore,"  of  Poe's  Raven,  the 
"  Stitch,  stitch,  stitch,"  of  Hood's  Song  of  the  Shirt, 
or  the  "  Break,  break,  break,"  of  Tennyson's  Song 
of  the  Sea.  And  it  is  scarcely  less  prominent  in  the 
prose,  than  in  the  poetry,  of  secular  literature.  Dick- 
ens often  fixes  the  lesson  of  one  of  his  plainly  marked 
characters  by  the  tireless  repetition  of  a  single  dis- 


When  to  JReview. 


219 


tinctive  or  idiosyncratic  phrase,  in  connection  with 
that  character,  such  as  Mr.  Toots's,  "  It's  of  no  con- 
sequence ; "  Captain  Cuttle's,  "  When  found,  make 
a  note  on;  "  and  Mr.  Micawher's,  " Until  something 
turns  up."  Again,  it  is  in  the  ceaseless  knitting, 
knitting,  knitting,  of  the  heartless  enemy  of  a  hated 
race ;  in  the  ever-recurring  sound  of  the  echoing 
footsteps  of  progressing  destiny;  and  in  the  grim 
sawing,  sawing,  sawing,  of  the  blood-craving  citizen, 
— that  his  Tale  of  Two  Cities  has  its  more  thrilling 
effectiveness.  And  so  it  is  to  a  greater  or  less 
degree  in  the  work  of  other  impressive  writers.  It 
would,  indeed,  he  a  pity  if  the  Sunday-school  teacher 
were  not  to  avail  himself  of  this  recognized  power 
of  reiteration  and  repetition  as  a  means  of  enforcing 
and  fixing  the  truths  he  is  teaching. 

A  few  review  questions  on  last  Sunday's  lesson 
may  wisely  he  asked  at  the  beginning  of  each  Sun- 
day's teaching  exercise.  A  few  questions  tending  to 
bring  out  the  chief  points  of  the  day's  teaching  may 
follow  at  the  close  of  that  exercise.  All  the  way 
along  in  one's  teaching  work,  review  questions, 
designed  to  bring  up  afresh  and  fasten  anew  impor- 
tant truths  which  the  teacher  wishes  not  to  be  for- 
gotten, may  be  asked,  in  conjunction  with  the  cur- 
rent teaching.  Sometimes,  the  mere  repetition  of  a 
question,  immediately  on  its  being  answered,  may 
tend  to  impress  and  fix  the  answer  itself  in  the  mind 
of  the  scholar  who  gives  and  repeats  the  answer,  as 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  Tale  of 
Two  Cities. 


All  the  Tray 
along. 


220 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Say  it  again. 


At  any  time 
aod  always. 


would  not  otherwise  be  possible.  For  example,  in 
studying  the  story  of  Daniel  continuing  to  pray  in 
spite  of  the  threatened  lions'-den,  or  of  the  three 
Hebrew  children  defying  the  furnace-fires,  or  of 
Peter  and  John  preaching  God's  truth  at  the  risk 
of  imprisonment,  a  teacher  might  ask  a  scholar, 
"  What  lesson  is  there  for  you  in  this  story?  "  And 
the  answer  might  come  back,  "  We  ought  to  do  right 
in  spite  of  everything."  ft  What  do  you  say  is  the 
lesson  ?  "  asks  the  teacher  again.  "  We  ought  to  do 
right  in  spite  of  everything "  is  again  answered. 
"  What  do  you  say  is  the  lesson?"  asks  the  teacher, 
for  the  third  time.  And  for  the  third  time  the 
scholar  answers,  "  We  ought  to  do  right  in  spite  of 
everything."  Can  there  be  any  doubt  that  that 
scholar  is  more  likely  to  realize  the  force  of  his  own 
answer,  and  to  have  the  truth  of  it  more  firmly  in 
his  mind,  in  consequence  of  that  repetition  ? 

At  stated  times,  and  at  other  times,  at  any  time 
and  at  all  times,  review  questioning  is  in  order,  for 
the  making  firm  and  secure  in  the  scholar's  mind, 
of  that  which  has  once  been  put  there,  but  which 
will  pass  out  of  mind  unless  it  be  often  recalled  to 
memory.  You  know  what  you  deem  of  most  im* 
portance  in  all  that  you  have  caused  your  schol- 
ars to  know  through  your  teaching.  Let  that  be 
the  main  subject  of  your  review  questioning. 


Better  than  Repetition. 


221 


in. 

NEW-VIEWING  THE  WHOLE. 

A  Threefold  Work  in  Reviewing;  How  a  Child  Learns  to  Read; 
Gain  of  a  Perspective;  Three  Lessons  New-viewed;  The  Thir- 
teenth New  Lesson;  Specimen  New -Views. 

IN  addition  to  all  the  gain  which  conies  from 
the  work  of  reviewing,  in  the  teaching-process,  as 
a  means  of  testing  the  measure  of  knowledge 
already  attained  by  the  scholar,  and,  again,  as  a 
means  of  fastening  in  the  scholar's  mind  the  truth 
already  taught  to  him,  there  is  a  farther  gain  in 
this  work,  as  a  means  of  securing  a  new  view  of  the 
truth  which  has  been  taught  by  the  teacher,  and 
which  has  been  learned  by  the  scholar.  Indeed, 
this  new-viewing  of  the  truth  is  the  chief  gain  of 
all  reviewing  at  stated  seasons,  as  in  distinction  from 
occasional  and  incidental  reviewings ;  and,  again,  it 
is  the  more  important  feature  of  reviewing, — as 
essential  to  the  completion  of  the  teaching-process, — 
in  its  distinction  from  reiteration,  repetition,  reca- 
pitulation, or  revision. 

A  word  or  a  statement  of  truth  uttered  by  a 
teacher,  or  by  a  scholar,  can  be  at  once  reiterated, 


PAKT  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


A  chief  gain. 


222 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


No  new  light 
in  repetition. 


A  new  look 
possible. 


or  repeated,  by  teacher  or  scholar,  or  by  both  teacher 
and  scholar.  There  is  a  possible  gain,  so  far,  in  the 
line  of  testing  the  understanding  of  the  word  or 
statement  as  first  spoken;  also,  in  the  line  of  fixing 
the  expressed  thought  in  the  mind  of  the  learner; 
but  no  new  view  of  the  truth  involved  is  likely  to 
come  through  such  reiteration  or  repetition.  "No 
new  light  on  the  subject  necessarily  follows  the 
second,  or  the  tenth,  repetition  of  a  word  or  a  state- 
ment in  the  form  of  its  original  expression.  There 
is  a  reviewing,  but  no  new-viewing,  in  such  redupli- 
cation of  that  which  was  recognized  in  its  complete- 
ness at  the  first. 

The  main  points  of  a  series  of  statements  may  be 
recapitulated,  after  their  first  consecutive  mention, 
without  any  new  view  of  them  being  gained,  or  being 
aimed  at.  Similarly,  a  revision  of  the  work  done  may 
leave  it  just  as  it  was  on  its  first  going  over.  But  a 
review  of  a  series  of  words  or  statements,  of  facts  or 
truths,  which  were  before  taken  up  singly,  and  were 
looked  at  only  in  their  separateness,  may  give  an 
utterly  new  view  of  the  whole, — a  view  of  them  in 
their  relation  to  each  other,  and  to  a  common  whole, 
— which  would  not  have  been  possible  except  from 
this  later  standpoint  of  observation.  This  new-view- 
ing of  the  whole,  in  a  review  of  the  teaching-work 
of  a  month,  or  of  a  quarter,  or  of  a  year,  is  a  phase 
of  reviewing  which  cannot  be  ignored,  or  neglected, 
by  any  teacher,  without  a  loss  to  his  scholar  of  that 


An  Element  in  all  Progress. 


223 


view  of  the  truth  taught  which  would  be  likely  to 
prove  of  more  value  to  him  than  all  which  he  has 
gained  thus  far  from  his  teacher's  teachings. 

I  do  not  mean  to  claim  that  the  word  "  reviewing" 
in  itself  means  new-viewing,  in  the  sense  of  which  I 
here  speak  of  new-viewing,  and  that,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  does  not  mean  reiteration,  repetition,  reca- 
pitulation, or  revision ;  for  the  word  "  reviewing," 
by  dictionary  definitions  and  in  common  usage, 
covers  all  the  separate  meanings  of  those  words  sev- 
erally. But  I  do  claim  that  no  one  of  the  words 
"  reiteration,"  "  repetition,"  "  recapitulation,"  or 
"revision,"  necessarily  includes,  or  even  suggests, 
the  idea  of  an  entirely  new  view  of  the  work  gone 
over;  while  "reviewing"  can  fairly  be  used  to  cover 
that  idea.  Moreover,  I  insist  that  the  new- viewing 
of  a  series  of  lessons  is  a  distinctive,  an  important, 
and  an  indispensable  feature  of  reviewing,  in  wise 
Sunday-school  teaching;  that  it  is,  in  fact,  the  pre- 
eminent phase  of  all  stated  reviewing  in  the  Sunday- 
school  teaching-work. 

New-viewing,  by  reviewing,  is  an  element  in  all 
progress  of  knowledge.  In  former  days,  children, 
while  learning  to  read,  were  taught  the  alphabet 
before  they  were  taught  to  recognize  the  letters  of 
the  alphabet  in  the  composition  of  words.  It  was 
only  by  a  new  view,  in  review,  of  the  force  and  the 
relations  of  the  separate  letters,  as  those  letters  are 
formed  into  words,  that  a  child  could  make  the  alpha- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Not  in  the 
dictionary. 


Learning  the 
letters. 


224 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 
The, 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Taking  in 
physic. 


A  better  way. 


bet  itself  of  any  practical  value  as  a  means  of  attaining 
knowledge.  In  illustration  of  the  difficulty — of  the 
impossibility,  in  fact — of  gaining  a  knowledge  of  the 
real  meaning  and  use  of  letters  when  made  up  into 
words,  unless  by  the  aid  of  a  new  view,  in  review, 
an  American  writer,  of  fifty  years  ago,  said :  "  We 
tell  a  child  to  say  'pe-aytch-wi-es-i-see,'  and  then 
call  on  him  to  pronounce  it; "  or,  in  other  words,  we 
call  on  idm  to  review  his  detached  work,  and  make 
its  several  parts  a  whole.  "  What  would  he  conclude, 
if  he  reasoned,  [if  he  reviewed  his  work  without  a 
new  view  of  it,]  but  that  it  must  be '  peaytchwiesisee '? 
and  by  what  magic  can  he  learn  that  it  should  be 
pronounced  'fizik'?"  Only  th«  new  view,  which 
showed  that  the  several  letters,  bearing  the  names, 


pee,"   "aytch," 


wi,"  "es," 


;i," 


;see,"  when 


brought  together  in  that  order,  combine  to  make  the 
word  "  physic,"  which  is  pronounced  "fizik,"  en- 
abled a  scholar  to  get  any  practical  good  out  of  his 
study  of  the  letters  either  separately  or  in  combina- 
tion. 

Since  the  days  of  Jacotot,  the  learning  of  the 
alphabet  as  preliminary  to  the  learning  of  words, 
has  grown  steadily  in  disrepute ;  and,  now,  a  prop- 
erly taught  child  learns  the  names  of  words  before 
his  mind  is  uselessly  burdened  with  the  names  of 
their  constituent  letters.  But,  even  now,  when  a  child 
has  learned  a  series  of  words,  one 'by  one,  he  still 
needs  to  gain  a  new  view  of  them,  in  their  review, 


More  than  a  Bricklayer. 


225 


in  order  to  recognize  their  force  in  the  sentence  which 
they  combine  to  form.  He  may  take  into  his  mind 
the  full  meaning  of  the  several  words,  in  their  sepa- 
rateness:  "Herein,"  "  is,"  "love,"  "not,"  "that," 
"we,"  "loved,' 


loved,"  "us;" 


"God,"  "but,"  "that,"  "he," 
and  yet  have  no  understanding  of 
the  truth  which  is  included  in  the  meaning  of  those 
words  as  a  complete  sentence:  "  Herein  is  love,  not 
that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us."  Even 
though  he  has  repeated  these  words  so  many  times 
that  they  are  fastened  surely  in  his  memory ;  and 
even  though  the  testing  of  him,  by  careful  reviewing, 
shows  that  he  knows  the  meaning  of  each  wrord 
separately, — he  is  yet  without  a  knowledge  of  their 
force  as  a  series  of  words,  unless  he  has  gained  this 
new  view  of  them,  by  their  review  as  a  series,  and  in 
their  connection  in  that  series. 

A  man  might  handle  every  brick  which  entered 
into  the  building  of  a  house,  and  even  have  a  part 
in  laying  each  successive  course  of  bricks  in  that 
house,  from  foundation  to  coping,  and  yet  have  no 
real  knowledge  of  the  form  and  appearance  of  that 
house  as  a  whole.  Only  as  he  obtained  a  new  view 
of  those  bricks  in  their  final  relation  to  each  other  in 
that  building,  by  standing  off  from  it,  when  it  was 
completed,  and  reviewing  all  the  work  on  it  in  which 
he  had  had  a  part,  can  he  intelligently  understand 
the  outline  and  the  dimensions,  or  have  any  just 
sense  of  the  general  effect,  of  that  structure  in  its 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Learning  to 
read. 


A  pile  of 
bricks. 


226 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Seeing  a 
landscape. 


Related 
Bible  truths. 


entirety.  A  man  might  roam  over  miles  of  varied 
territory,  comprising  meadow  and  woods  and  bills 
and  valleys  and  rocks  and  streams,  and  yet  have  no 
true  conception  of  the  picturesqueness  of  the  region 
as  a  whole.  He  could  remember,  indeed,  that  he 
had  wandered  in  pleasant  meadows,  had  groped 
along  through  dense  woods,  had  forded  murmuring 
streams,  had  picked  his  way  up  narrow  and  rugged 
paths  on  the  rocky  hillsides ;  but  each  item  of  his 
progress  thus  far  would  still  stand  by  itself  in  his 
memory,  rather  than  stand  in  its  relatings.  Let 
him,  however,  at  the  close  of  his  day's  journeying, 
clamber  a  mountain  summit,  which  overlooks  all 
the  way  of  his  progress,  and  turn  back  to  review 
the  course  he  has  just  been  over.  That  review 
gives  him  an  utterly  new  view. 

"Straight  his  eye  hath  caught  new  pleasures, 
Whilst  the  landscape  round  it  measures." 

Each  separate  stage  of  his  day's  slow  progress  is 
now  a  well-defined  feature  of  the  one  picture  before 
him.  So  it  is  in  all  attainments  of  knowledge; 
there  is  no  true  view  of  all  that  which  has  been 
learned  in  separate  details,  until  a  review  of  the 
whole  gives  a  new  view  of  the  whole. 

All  related  truths  have  their  perspective,  in  which 
they  can  be  seen  to  an  advantage  not  otherwise  ob- 
tainable. All  Bible-truths  are  related.  To  fail  of 
bringing  any  series  of  Bible-truths  into  its  proper 


Seeing  in  Perspective. 


227 


perspective,  is  to  fail  of  seeing  the  truths  of  that 
series  in  their  best  light,  and  in  such  a  way  as  to 
gain  the  fullest  and  most  important  understanding 
of  them,  in  their  relations  to  each  other  and  to  the 
great  central  truths  of  the  Bible  as  a  whole.  A 
"perspective,"  it  may  be  well  to  consider  just  here, 
is  a  view  of  a  scene,  or  of  a  landscape,  as  gained 
from  a  single  point  of  observation;  or,  more  literally, 
as  seen  through  some  favorable  opening.  The  per- 
spective of  a  series  of  truths,  therefore,  can  best  be 
obtained  at  the  close  of  the  examination  of  those 
truths  in  detail;  after  the  main  features  of  the  field 
of  observation  have  been  made  known  to  the  ob- 
server by  his  special  study,  so  that  they  can  be 
recognized  by  him,  as  he  now  looks  back  upon  them 
through  the  opening  of  a  review-exercise. 

Each  single  lesson  has  its  series  of  truths  which 
ought  to  be  looked  at  in  perspective  at  the  lesson's 
close;  as,  indeed,  that  series  of  truths  cannot  be 
looked  at  before.  Reviewing  a  lesson  to  see  it  in 
perspective  is  quite  a  different  matter  from  review- 
ing it  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  scholar's  knowl- 
edge of  it;  or,  again,  from  reviewing  it  for  the 
purpose  of  fastening  it  in  the  scholar's  mind.  A  per- 
spective reviewing  of  the  lesson  is  a  new-viewing  of 
the  lesson.  This  distinction  should  always  be  borne 
in  mind  by  the  teacher,  in  his  work  of  reviewing. 
Whether  the  lesson  be  a  simple  narrative,  a  seem- 
ingly involved  doctrinal  teaching,  or  a  few  appar- 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Looking 
through. 


A  whole  and 
its  parts. 


228 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I.  . 
The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4, 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Jeroboam's 
progress  in 
Bin. 


ently  unconnected  practical  injunctions,  it  has  its 
true  perspective,  and  it  ought  to  be  looked  at  in 
perspective. 

Take  such  a  lesson  as  that  on  the  sin  of  Jeroboam, 
from  1  Kings  12  :  25-33.  The  details  of  the  story 
are  simple.  Jeroboam  found  himself  at  the  head  of 
a  great  section  of  a  divided  kingdom.  He  reasoned, 
not  unnaturally,  that  if  his  people  went  into  the  other 
kingdom  to  worship,  their  hearts  would  be  drawn 
toward  the  government  of  that  other  kingdom.  Yet 
there  was  now  only  one  place  of  worship  in  the  two 
kingdoms ;  only  one  place  approved  of  God  for  the 
entire  people  of  both  kingdoms.  As  Jeroboam 
thought  on  this  subject,  he  decided  to  plan  for 
another  form  of  worship  than  that  which  God  had 
directed.  Then  he  made  the  two  calves  of  gold,  and 
set  them  up  at  the  limits  of  his  kingdom,  and  led  his 
people  into  the  sinful  worship  at  those  new  shrines. 
When  these  facts  are  fairly  in  the  scholars'  minds, 
the  teacher  can  bring  the  scholars,  by  a  few  well- 
directed  questions,  at  the  close  of  the  class  exercise, 
to  see  that  this  great  sin  of  Jeroboam  did  not  show 
itself  at  the  worst  to  begin  with.  First,  he  thought 
about  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  doing  right;  then, 
he  began  to  plan  a  way  of  avoiding  the  danger  of 
right  doing ;  finally,  he  was  doing  wrong  with  all  his 
might.  And  so  the  perspective  of  this  lesson  shows 
The  Way  of  Progress  in  Sin :  Thinking  evil ;  Plan- 
ning evil;  Doing  evil.  If  one  would  avoid  Jero- 


Doctrines  and  Duties. 


229 


beam's  final  indulgence  in  gross  sin,  he  should  shun 
Jeroboam's  beginnings  of  evil — in  parleying  with 
temptations  to  sinning. 

Or,  to  take  such  a  doctrinal  lesson  as  is  found  in 
Romans  8 :  28-39.  Seen  in  its  details,  it  treats  of 
foreknowledge,  predestination,  God's  love,  the  be- 
liever's trials,  the  Saviour's  constant  nearness,  and 
yet  other  matters.  Seen  in  its  perspective,  it  teaches 
that  those  who  trust  in  Jesus  may  feel  sure,  that  all 
the  purposes  of  God,  and  all  the  plans  of  God,  and 
all  the  permittings  of  God,  and  all  the  providences 
of  God,  are  working  together  for  their  welfare  for 
now  and  for  eternity.  Or,  yet  again,  take  such  a 
lesson  of  practical  injunctions  as  appears  in  Colos- 
sians  3 :  16-25.  Considered  verse  by  verse,  this 
lesson  touches  the  varied  duties  of  husbands,  wives, 
fathers,  children,  and  servants,  and  treats  of  worship 
and  of  judgment  and  of  hope.  Looked  at  in  per- 
spective, it  shows  that  he  who  is  a  follower  of  Christ, 
in  any  station  of  life,  has  duties  toward  God :  in  his 
heart,  in  his  conduct,  and  in  his  expectations.  And 
so  it  might  be  found  in  the  teachings  of  any  Bible 
lesson  and  of  every  Bible  lesson.  A  review  of  the 
lesson  in  perspective  will  give  a  new  view  of  the 
lesson;  a  new  view  that  is  quite  too  important, 
and  of  too  great  practical  value,  to  be  missed  *by  the 
scholar  through  the  teacher's  failure  to  bring  it  to 
the  scholar's  notice. 

In  the  process  of  reviewing  the  lessons  of  a  month, 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The 

believer's 

confidence. 


The 

believer's 

duties. 


230 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


The 

thirteenth 

lesson. 


Repetition 
gives  no 
perspective. 


or  of  a  quarter,  or  of  a  year,  the  gain  of  a  new  view 
as  obtained  in  perspective  stands  out  yet  more  promi- 
nently than  in  the  case  of  a  single  lesson.  The  Bible 
lessons  of  a  month,  when  viewed  in  perspective,  are 
found  to  make  one  new  lesson  in  four  subdivisions ; 
or,  perhaps,  to  stand  out  as  one  new  lesson,  without 
any  apparent  break  from  the  beginning.  So,  in  the 
case  of  the  lessons  of  a  quarter,  as  viewed  jn  per- 
spective, on  the  quarterly  review  Sunday :  there  are 
not -twelve  separate  lessons  to  be  taken  up  again  in 
their  order,  for  re-examination ;  but  there  is  a  new 
lesson,  the  thirteenth  of  the  series,  and  that  new 
lesson  is  to  give  a  new  view  of  the  twelve  lessons 
that  it  follows. 

Just  here,  it  is  important  to  emphasize  again  the 
distinction  between  reviewing  for  the  purpose  of  test- 
ing or  of  fastening  a  scholar's  knowledge,  and  review- 
ing for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  new  view  of  all  the 
lessons  looked  back  on.  To  call  up  in  their  order 
all  the  lessons  of  a  quarter,  by  their  titles,  by  their 
topics,  or  by  their  specific  facts  and  teachings  as 
originally  taught  to  the  scholars,  is  not  in  the  line 
of  new-viewing  the  lessons  of  that  quarter;  it  is  not 
a  proper  method  of  viewing  those  lessons  in  per- 
spective. It  may,  indeed,  have  a  value  in  testing  or 
in  fixing  the  scholar's  knowledge  of  the  details  thus 
considered ;  but  when  it  is  through  with,  the  impor- 
tant work  of  new-viewing  the  quarter's  lessons  in 
their  review  is  still  unattempted ;  and  the  series  of 


Examples  of  New  -  Viewing. 


231 


lessons  as  a  whole  is  not  yet  recognized  by,  nor  indi- 
cated to,  the  scholars  under  instruction.  The  twelve 
minor  lessons  have  been  reviewed:  the  thirteenth, 
and  most  important  lesson,  has  been  not  so  much  as 
named. 

Every  series  of  Bible  lessons  has  its  unity  as  well 
as  its  diversity.  It  would  be  almost,  if  not  quite, 
impossible  to  select  twelve  lessons  from  the  Bible 
which  should  not  be  found  to  have  peculiar  relations 
to  each  other  and  to  a  common  truth,  or  to  a  com- 
mon outline  of  truths.  To  recognize  this  unity  of 
design,  and  to  cause  the  scholars  to  see  it,  is  a  duty 
of  the  teacher  in  connection  with  a  quarterly  review- 
exercise.  This  gives  a  new-view  of  the  lessons 
reviewed.  This  makes  a  thirteenth  lesson  by  itself, 
out  of  the  material  furnished  by  the  twelve  lessons 
which  it  follows.  Yet  just  this  work,  this  most 
important  work  of  the  entire  quarter,  is  a  work  less 
commonly  attempted  by  Sunday-school  teachers  gen- 
erally, than  perhaps  any  other  portion  of  the  teach- 
ing-work; it  certainly  is  less  common  than  any  other 
phase  of  lesson-reviewing. 

A  few  examples  of  the  method  of  finding  a  new 
lesson  in  twelve  old  lessons,  may  be  given  out  of  the 
selected  lessons  in  the  International  series,  quarter 
by  quarter,  as  follows :  Twelve  lessons  were  taken 
from  the  last  eight  chapters  in  Acts.  A  new-view 
of  them,  in  their  review,  showed  a  historical  picture 
of  Paul  the  Preacher,  of  Paul  the  Pastor,  of  Paul 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Me  hods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Unity  in 
diversity. 


Paul's  story. 


232 


Teaching  mid  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


Twelve  in 
one. 


The  scholar's 
work. 


the  Prisoner ;  and  their  practical  lessons  were  seen 
to  be :  Dangers  in  the  Path  of  Duty ;  Encourage- 
ments in  the  Path  of  Duty;  Rewards  in  the  Path  of 
Duty.  Twelve  lessons  from  the  Epistles,  including 
Romans  to  Titus,  showed  the  Christian  Believer : 
(1.)  The  Believer's  Character;  What  He  Is.  (2.)  The 
Believer's  Possessions;  "What  He  Has.  (3.)  The 
Believer's  Conduct;  What  He  Does.  Yet  another 
twelve  lessons,  from  Hehrews  to  the  close  of  Revela- 
tion, showed,  Our  Saviour:  (1.)  Our  Saviour's  Work; 
What  He  Does  for  Us.  (2.)  Our  Saviour's  Provis- 
ions; What  He  Prepares  for  Us.  (3.)  Our  Saviour's 
Demands ;  What  He  Asks  of  Us.  In  each  of  these 
three  review  lessons,  every  lesson  of  the  quarter  re- 
viewed had  its  place  in  the  new-view  lesson,  without 
any  forcing.  And  so  it  might  be  in  almost  any 
quarter's  lessons. 

Although  this  method  of  reviewing  a  series  of 
lessons  so  as  to  find  one  new  lesson  in  the  several  les- 
sons of  the  series,  brings  all  of  the  lessons  of  the  series 
into  an  utterly  new  light  before  the  scholars,  it  is  not 
as  if  the  material  out  of  which  the  new  lesson  is  con- 
structed were  before  unknown  to  the  scholars.  The 
new  lesson  is  still  a  review,  while  it  is  also  a  new 
view.  Its  very  construction,  indeed,  is  by  the  schol- 
ars themselves ;  although  under  the  skilled  direction 
of  their  teacher.  The  teacher  asks  the  scholars  to 
look  back  over  the  lessons  they  have  learned,  and  to 
tell  him  what  they  see  in  the  direction  of  his  point- 


Questioning- Methods. 


233 


ing.  As  they  go  on  in  this  work  of  re-examination, 
under  their  teacher's  guidance,  they  see  for  themselves 
the  progress  of  the  new  lesson  which  their  answers 
are  constructing,  and  they  have  an  interest  in  it,  and 
an  understanding  of  it,  accordingly.  It  is  as  if  the 
teacher  were  to  take  the  irregularly  formed  hits  of  a 
dissected  picture,  each  of  which  bits  is  known  by 
itself  to  the  scholars,  but  not  understood  in  its  rela- 
tions to  the  other  bits,  and  should  question  the 
scholars  as  to  the  correspondence  of  certain  outlines 
of  one  of  these  bits  to  the  outlines  of  another  bit ; 
and  so  should  go  on,  in  the  way  of  such  suggestions, 
until  the  scholars  were  all  alive  to  the  completion  of 
the  one  picture  of  which  those  several  bits  were  but 
the  portions.  That  would  not,  indeed,  be  the  drawing 
of  the  picture  anew ;  but  it  would  be  the  showing 
anew  a  picture,  which  otherwise  might  never  have 
been  perceived  by  those  who  had  in  their  possession 
all  the  material  for  its  correct  exhibit. 

A  fevv  general  questions  on  the  series  of  lessons  as 
a  whole,  are  better  as  the  beginning  of  a  review- 
exercise  for  the  purpose  of  a  new-view,  than  any 
attempt  to  recall  the  lessons  separately  would  be. 
For  example,  when  the  quarter's  lessons  are  from 
Exodus  35  :  25,  to  Deuteronomy  32  :  52 :  In  what 
books  of  the  Bible  have  our  lessons  for  this  quarter 
been  found?  About  how  many  years  are  covered 
by  the  range  of  these  lessons?  Concerning  what 
people  have  all  these  lessons  had  to  do?  Whose 


PARTI. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 

Process. 


A  dissected 
picture. 


How  to 
begin. 


234 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


Leading  np 
to  the  new 
view. 


people  were  this  people  called,  peculiarly  ?  "Where 
did  the  opening  lesson  of  the  quarter  find  the  Lord's 
people  ?  Where  does  the  closing  lesson  leave  them  ? 
These  questions  will  serve  to  show  the  scholars  that 
the  twelve  lessons  are  one.  Then  comes  the  effort 
to  find  a  common  teaching  in  the  twelve  lessons. 

A  few  specimen  questions,  with  their  natural  and 
prohable  answers,  will  go  to  illustrate  the  method  of 
drawing  out  from  the  scholars  the  common  lesson 
of  the  series;  it  being  borne  in  mind  that  these 
reviewing-questions  are  based  on  a  foundation  of 
knowledge  acquired  by  the  scholars  in  the  former 
study  of  the  lessons.  Thus :  For  what  purpose  were 
the  Lord's  people  led  up  and  down  in  the  wilderness, 
all  these  years?  "For  their  training."  For  what 
purpose  were  all  these  varied  directions  given  them  : 
about  offerings,  and  buildings,  and  feasts,  and  the 
like  ?  "  To  show  them  how  the  Lord  would  have 
them  serve  him."  As  applied  to  ourselves,  then, 
what  do  all  these  lessons  go  to  teach,  and  to  illus- 
trate ?  "  Our  proper  service  of  the  Lord."  What  is 
that,  which  you  find  as  a  practical  teaching  of  this 
quarter's  lessons  ?  "  Our  proper  service  of  the  Lord." 
Suppose  we  set  that  down  on  our  class-slates,  as  the 
quarter's  lesson-teaching:  Our  Proper  Service  of  the 
Lord.  Now,  let  us  find  out  something  more  from 
these  lessons  about  this  one  great  subject.  What  is 
described  in  the  first  lesson  of  the  quarter?  "  The 
bringing  in  of  gifts  for  the  Tabernacle,  by  all  the 


Preparation  a  Necessity. 


235 


people."  "What  is  made  prominent  concerning  all 
those  gifts  at  that  time  ?  •*  That  they  were  offered 
willingly."  Willingly !  "Well,  what  phase,  or  feature, 
of  the  Lord's  service  is  indicated  "by  the  willingness 
with  which  a  gift  is  made  to  the  Lord  ?  "  Its  spirit." 
Its  what  ?  u  Its  spirit."  "Well,  if  the  spirit  of  our  ser- 
vice of  the  Lord  is  important,  let  us  put  that  down, 
on  our  class-slates,  as  one  point  in  our  review-lesson. 

Calling  attention  by  a  few  questions  to  the  pre- 
scribed details  of  the  construction  of  the  Tabernacle, 
as  given  in  the  second  lesson  of  the  series,  will  bring 
out  the  truth  that  it  is  the  method  of  the  Lord's  ser- 
vice which  is  there  emphasized ;  and  that  point,  also, 
can  go  down  in  its  place  on  the  class-slates.  After 
this,  as  the  several  lessons  of  the  series  are  called  up  in 
their  order,  the  scholars  will  readily  assign  to  them 
their  places  under  the  two  sub-heads  of  the  main 
topic  on  the  class-slates.  "When  the  lesson  on  the 
Day  of  Atonement  is  reached,  a  few  questions  will 
call  out  the  truth  that  there  it  is  the  purpose  of  all 
this  service  which  is  illustrated :  "  That  ye  may  be 
clean  from  all  your  sins  before  the  Lord."  And  so 
the  review  will  bring  the  scholars  to  see,  by  their 
own  work,  that  the  lessons  of  the  quarter  form  a 
new-view  lesson,  on  Our  Proper  Service  of  the  Lord: 
(1.)  Its  Spirit.  (2.)  Its  Methods.  (3.)  Its  Purpose. 

It  need  hardly  be  added,,  that  to  secure  the  teach- 
ing of  such  a  new-view  lesson  in  a  review  of  a  series 
of  lessons,  the  teacher  must  be  well  prepared  with 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


The  new 

view 

obtained. 


236 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


Seeking  com- 
pleteness. 


Summing  up 
may  give  a 
new  view. 


his  plan  of  the  lesson,  and  with  his  outline  of  ques- 
tioning in  order  to  bring  that  plan  before  the  minds 
of  his  scholars;  or,  rather,  in  order  to  bring  the 
minds  of  his  scholars  to  recogn;ze  that  plan  as  of 
their  own  finding  in  the  series  of  lessons  reviewed 
by  them.  But,  without  such  a  new  view  of  a  series 
of  lessons  in  its  review,  the  best  study  of  a  series  of 
Bible  lessons,  under  the  best  teacher  in  the  world, 
would  be  incomplete,  and  one  with  which  no  teacher 
in  the  .world  has  a  right  to  be  satisfied. 


RECAPITULA  TION. 

AND  now,  having  gone  over  the  teaching-process 
in  all  its  details  from  its  inception  to  its  review,  it 
may  be  well  to  look  back  upon  our  work  as  an 
entirety,  in  order  to  see  its  various  portions  in 
their  relations  to  each  other  and  to  a  common 
whole.  There  is  often  a  gain  to  be  secured  from  a 
recapitulation  of  the  main  points  of  such  a  work, 
even  when  no  formal  attempt  is  made  at  testing,  or 
at  fastening,  or  at  new -viewing  what  has  been 
taught.  Indeed,  a  summing  up  of  the  steps  of 
progress  is,  frequently,  in  itself,  a  new  view  of  that 
progress;  and  so  a  recapitulation  may  secure  the 
threefold  advantage  of  reviewing. 

Our  endeavor  has  been  to  ascertain  what  teaching 


Recapitulation. 


237 


is,  and  how  to  do  it.  In  order  to  ascertain  what 
teaching  is,  we  have  had  to  consider  what  it  is  not. 
"We  have  seen  that  much  that  passes  for  teaching  is 
not  teaching;  that  telling  is  not  teaching;  that 
hearing  a  recitation  is  not  teaching.  We  have 
found  that  teaching  is  the  causing  to  know,  by  an 
intelligent  and  purposeful  endeavor;  that  teaching 
is  a  work  of  which  learning  is  necessarily  a  compo- 
nent part;  that  only  where  something  is  learned,  is 
anything  taught;  that  there  can  be  no  teaching 
without  correspondent  learning ;  that  teaching  is  a 
twofold  w^ork,  including  a  teacher  and  a  learner, 
and  that  the  teaching-process  is  threefold,  including 
one  phase  for  the  teacher,  one  phase  for  the  scholar, 
and  one  phase  for  teacher  and  scholar  conjointly.  "We 
have  seen,  that  the  essentials  of  the  teaching-process 
— those  things  without  which  no  teacher  can  teach 
— are:  a  knowledge,  by  the  teacher,  of  him  whom  he 
would  teach ;  a  knowledge,  by  the  teacher,  of  that 
which  he  would  teach;  and  a  knowledge,  by  the 
teacher,  of  how  to  teach  that  which  he  would  teach, 
to  the  scholar  whom  he  would  cause  to  learn  just 
that.  "We  have,  furthermore,  learned,  that  the 
essential  elements  of  the  teaching-process  have, 
also,  their  threefold  aspect :  the  scholar  giving 
his  attention ;  the  teacher  making  clear  that  which 
he  would  cause  the  scholar  to  know ;  and  teacher 
and  scholar  co-working  in  the  effort  to  transfer 
knowledge  from  the  teacher's  mind  to  the  scholar's 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 
Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 

Methods 

of  the 

Teaching 

Process. 


What  we 
have  seen. 


238 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  I. 

The 

Teacher's 

Teaching 

Work. 

CHAPTER  4. 
Methods 

of  the 
Teaching 
Process. 


The  teacher's 
responsi- 
bility. 


Complete,  but 
not  complete. 


mind;  or,  more  properly,  in  the  aiding  .of  the 
scholar  to  acquire  the  knowledge  himself,  under  the 
guidance  of  his  teacher. 

In  studying  the  methods  of  the  teaching-process, 
we  have  seen  that  those  methods — which  involve  the 
art  of  teaching  as  distinct  from  its  science — must  be 
attended  to  by  the  teacher,  in  his  preparation  for  his 
work,  in  his  practice  of  his  work,  and  in  his  review 
of  his  work.  We  have  seen,  also,  that  by  the  very 
nature  of  the  teaching-process  the  teacher  must  be 
held  responsible  for  the  scholar's  doing  of  his  part 
in  that  process ;  otherwise,  the  teacher  would  not  be 
a  necessity  in  every  phase  of  the  process.  Hence, 
the  teacher  must  not  only  know  how  to  study  his 
lesson  and  his  scholar,  and  how  to  teach  his  lesson 
to  his  scholar;  but  he  must  know  how  to  get  and 
hold  his  scholar's  attention,  and  how  to  secure  his 
co-work,  at  every  step  of  their  common  progress. 

We  have  found  that  even  when  the  teaching- 
process  seems  complete,  it  is  yet  incomplete  with- 
out the  process  of  reviewing.  Reviewing,  also,  is  a 
threefold  work,  including  the  testing  of  the  scholar's 
knowledge,  the  fastening  of  the  truth  taugh^  by  the 
teacher,  and  the  new-viewing  of  the  truth  as  a  whole, 
by  the  combined  effort  of  teacher  and  scholar. 

And  now  that  you  have  heard  so  much  about  the 
nature  and  the  methods  of  the  teaching-process,  it 
devolves  upon  you  anew  to  be  doers  of  the  truth,  and 
not  hearers  only — deceiving  your  own  selves. 


n. 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER'S  OTHER 
WORK  THAN  TEACHING 


THE  SHAPING  AND  GUIDING  OF 
SCHOLARS. 


PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT 

THUS  far,  only  the  technical  teaching-work  of  the 
Sunday-school  teacher  has  been  considered.  But 
the  teaching- work  is  by  no  means  the  only  work 
of  the  Sunday -school  teacher.  There  is  a  work  of 
shaping  and  guiding  the  scholar,  which  no  teacher 
has  a  right  to  ignore  or  neglect;  a  work  which,  in 
its  place,  is  fully  as  important  as  is  the  teaching- 
work  in  its  place. 

Teaching  is  teaching,  and  only  teaching  is  teaching. 
Whether,  therefore,  teaching  is  counted  of  minor  or 
of  greater  importance,  it  ought  not  to  be  confounded 
with  anything  else.  If  teaching  is  deemed  worthy 
of  attempting  at  all,  it  must  be  attempted  in  the  one 
fcvvay  in  which  alone  it  can  be  compassed;  and  that 
one  way  has  been  pointed  out  in  the  preceding 
pages.  But,  however  important  teaching  may  be 
counted,  teaching  is  not  everything ;  nor  ought  it  to 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 


The  one  waj 
of  teaching. 


242 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 


Another 
work. 


pass  for  all  things  else,  any  more  than  it  ought  to 
pass  for  anything  else  than  itself. 

The  work  of  shaping  and  guiding  a  scholar,  is 
even  more  important  to  a  scholar's  character  and 
destiny,  than  the  work  of  merely  teaching  a  scholar; 
although  the^e  is  no  reason  for  failing  to  attend  to 
the  important  matter  of  teaching,  because  there  is  a 
yet  more  important  matter  of  shaping  and  guiding 
to  be  attended  to,  at  the  same  time  as  the  teaching, 
and  at  other  times  as  well.  There  are  various 
phases  in  this  work  of  shaping  and  guiding  the 
scholar.  Some  of  these  phases  it  is  well  for  us  now 
to  consider 


A  Question  of  Gunpowder. 


243 


HAVING  AND  USING  INFLUENCE. 

The  Meaning  of  "Influence;"  From  the  Heavens;  Voluntary  and 
Involuntary;  A  Eight  Purpose  /"  Uncle  John"  Vassar;  A  Remem- 
bered Teacher;  Specimen  Superintendents;  Thomas  Arnold's 
Power;  The  Power  of  Character;  The  Church  Window;  The  Incar- 
nation ;  Unconscious  Tuition ;  Losing  an  Ideal ;  A  Teacher's  ft  e- 
sponsibility ;  Now,  and  By  and  By. 

INFLUENCE  is  a  power  flowing  in  upon  one,  to  shape 
or  sway  or  bias  him,  accordingly.  In  the  very  nature 
of  influence,  as  indicated  in  its  etymology,  (in  and 
fluere,  to  flow  in,  or  to  flow  in  upon,)  there  is  an  idea 
of  an  active  potency,  of  an  on-moving  tendency,  such 
as  is  not  essential  to  the  very  nature  of  informing, 
or  instructing,  or  teaching;  for  knowledge  may,  or 
may  not,  he  an  active  force  in  the  mind  of  him  who 
receives  it.  At  the  same  time,  the  idea  of  influence 
is  not  that  of  a  blind  and  mechanical  force,  which 
moves  by  its  dead  weight,  but  rather  that  of  a  "  con- 
trolling power  quietly  exerted,"  "bringing  about  an 
effect,  physical  or  moral,  by  a  gradual,  unobserved, 
and  easy  process."  The  power  of  gunpowder  in  the 
chamber  of  a  cannon  would  not  be  spoken  of  as  influ- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTWN  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


A  gradual 
process. 


244 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


From  the 
olauets. 


Shake- 
speare's 
view. 


encing  the  projectile  in  the  direction  of  the  cannon's 
mouth ;  but  the  power  of  gunpowder  might  be  spoken 
of  as  influencing  the  modes  of  modern  warfare,  and 
the  policy  and  destiny  of  nations.  The  mighty  en- 
gines of  an  ocean  steamer  are  the  power  for  its  pro- 
pelling on  its  course;  but  the  quiet  movements  of  the 
rudder  are  the  power  which  influences  its  direction. 
The  primitive  idea  of  "  influence"  was  the  potency 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  in  the  controlling  of  man's  life 
and  destiny;  the  "  influent  course  of  the  planets;  their 
virtue  infused  into,  or  their  course  working  on,  infe- 
rior creatures."  The  only  instance  in  which  the  word 
appears  in  our  English  Bible,  shows  this  meaning  : 

"  Canst  thou  bind  the  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades, 
Or  loose  the  bands  of  Orion?" 

Shakespeare  uses  the  word  in  this  sense  : 

"A  breath  thou  art, 
Servile  to  all  the  skyey  influences, 
That  dost  this  habitation,  where  thou  keep'st, 
Hourly  afflict." 

And,  again : 

"  When  I  consider  every  thing  that  grows 

Holds  in  perfection  but  a  little  moment, 
That  this  huge  stage  presenteth  naught  but  shows 

Whereon  the  stars  in  secret  influence  comment; 
When  I  perceive  that  men  as  plants  increase, 

Cheer'd  and  check'd  even  by  the  self-same  sky, 
Vaunt  in  their  youthful  sap,  at  height  decrease, 

And  wear  their  brave  state  out  of  memory ; 
Then  the  conceit  of  this  inconstant  story 

Sets  you  most  rich  before  my  sight." 


From  God  Outward. 


245 


The  poet  Waller  sings  : 

"  Our  stars  do  show  their  excellence, 
Not  by  their  light,  but  influence." 

Gradually  the  meaning  of  this  word  has  been 
extended,  without,  however,  losing  all  suggestion  of 
its  primitive  force.  It  was  raised  from  the  idea  of 
the  quiet  potency  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  in  the 
sphere  of  human  thought  and  action,  to  the  idea  of 
the  noiseless  efficacy  of  tlie  ceaseless  workings  of  the 
God  of  all  nature,  in  the  whole  realm  of  creation ; 
and  then  it  was  carried  outward  into  all  the  repre- 
sentatives and  all  the  agencies  of  God,  in  the  shaping 
and  directing  work  of  the  universe,  more  especially 
in  their  bearing  upon  human  character  and  conduct. 
Thus,  we  speak  of  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  heart  of  the  believer  in  Jesus,  and  in  the  very 
looks  and  speech  of  him  who  preaches  Jesus.  We 
speak,  moreover,  of  the  influences  of  affection  and  of 
affliction,  the  influence  of  memories  and  of  habit,  the 
influence  of  our  surroundings,  the  influence  of  scenery, 
of  music,  of  literature  and  art;  and  yet  more  than  all 
of  the  immediate  and  direct  personal  influence  of 
those  who  are  our  teachers,  our  companions,  or  in 
any  way  our  patterns  or  our  directors. 

And  in  all  these  uses  of  the  word,  it  will  be  seen, 
there  is  the  idea  of  an  inflowing  upon  us  of  a  quiet 
and  efficacious  potency  from  a  centre  of  light  and  life, 
which  gradually  and  unobservedly  works  a  change 
in  our  feelings  and  course,  in  the  direction  of  its  out- 


PAET  II. 

'Jhe 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


The  idea 
expanded. 


From  a 
centre. 


246 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


In  and  from. 


Good  and 

evil. 


goings.  It  is,  therefore,  in  a  sense,  the  quiet  powei 
of  God,  or  of  the  representatives  and  agencies  of  God, 
which  is  recognized  in  the  influences  which  we  feel 
and  to  which  we  submit  ourselves;  and  the  same  is 
true  of  the  influence  which  we  intelligently  exert,  or 
which  insensibly  flows  out  from  us  into  the  hearts 
and  the  minds  of  those  who  are  about  us.  It  is,  in 
a  measure,  an  emanation  from  God,  which  comes  in 
upon  us,  or  which  goes  out  from  us,  as  influence ;  an 
inflowing  upon  ourselves,  or  upon  others,  of  that  which 
came  from  God,  or  which  speaks  of  God. 

Of  course,  it  is  only  good  influences  which  are  here 
spoken  of,  or  which  primarily  affect  our  idea  of  the 
meaning  of  the  word  "  influence; "  for  the  good  is  the 
normal  in  the  universe.  But  there  is,  inevitably,  the 
correspondent  ideaof  the  evil  as  over  against  the  good, 
the  malign  as  the  converse  of  the  beneficent.  There 
was  an  adverse  influence  of  the  planets  recognized  in 
the  earlier  uses  of  this  term. 

"  They  fought  from  heaven, 
The  stars  in  their  courses  fought  against  Sisera," 

says  the  inspired  Hebrew  poem ;  and  Milton  tells  of 
the  fixed  stars  being  taught 

"Their  influence  malignant  when  to  shower." 

But  this  is  only  another  side  of  the  same  great  truth: 
influence  is  normally  the  outflowing  from  God,  and 
for  God;  abnormally,  it  is  the  outflowing  of  hostility 
to  God,  the  outflowing  of  evil  against  God.  In  speak- 


Twofold  Influence. 


247 


ing  of  the  influence  which  one  should  have  and  should 
exert,  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  meaning  in- 
tended; it  is  good  influence  alone  which  can  ever 
be  a  duty,  or  which  can  ever  be  counted  a  duty  by  a 
child  of  God. 

In  order  to  the  having  and  using  of  influence, — 
good  influence,  of  course, — a  teacher  must  be  centred 
in  God ;  and  all  that  he  is  or  that  he  has,  all  that 
he  says  or  that  he  makes  use  of,  must  represent  God, 
must  be,  as  it  were,  an  outflowing  from  God  toward 
those  to  whom  he  goes,  and  an  inflowing  from  God 
upon  those  whom  he  reaches.  To  have  and  to  use 
this  influence,  is  the  duty  of  every  teacher ;  and  no 
matter  how  wisely  and  skillfully  a  teacher  may  teach, 
he  cannot  be  a  proper  teacher,  he  cannot  properly  do 
a  true  teacher's  work,  unless  he  also  influences — influ- 
ences in  the  direction  of  his  teaching,  and  by  means 
of  his  teaching,  as  well  as  by  many  another  means. 

Personal  influence — the  influence  which  it  is  a 
teacher's  duty  to  exert — is  twofold :  voluntary  and 
involuntary,  intended  and  unintentional,  conscious 
and  unconscious.  The  one  kind  is  the  result  of  an 
intelligent  and  purposeful  endeavor,  an  endeavor  as 
deliberate,  and  it  may  be  even  as  well  planned  and 
as  systematic,  as  is  the  act  and  process  of  teaching ; 
the  other  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  teacher's  character ; 
it  is  incident  to  and  dependent  on  what  he  is,  rather 
than  what  he  plans  and  purposes.  Each  phase  of 
influence  is  important,  and  for  each  the  teacher  is 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Centred  in 
God. 


Voluntary 
and  involun- 
tary. 


248 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Having  a 
purpose. 


immediately  responsible.  It  is  the  purposed  and 
voluntary  influence,  however,  which  first  demands 
attention,  as  in  the  line  of  the  teacher's  deliberate 
work  for  his  scholar. 

To  begin  with,  a  teacher  ought  to  be  clear  in  his 
mind  as  to  the  direction  in  which  he  would  influence 
his  scholar  by  his  words  and  by  his  endeavors.  He 
who  would  influence  the  steamer's  course  by  the 
quiet  movements  of  the  helm,  needs  to  know  the 
compass  bearings  of  the  land  he  would  reach,  or  of 
the  currents  he  would  seek  or  would  avoid.  l$o 
steamer's  pilot  had  ever  a  greater  need  of  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  trackless  ocean's  pathways,  than  has  the 
teacher-pilot  of  an  immortal  scholar-soul  in  the  life- 
voyage  over  the  sea  of  probation.  To  know  the  di- 
rection of  wise  influence,  a  teacher  has  need  of  all 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  he  is  dealing  with,  all  the 
knowledge  of  the  scholar  whom  he  would  rightly 
guide,  and  all  the  knowledge  of  efficient  methods  of 
working,  which  he  has  found  necessary  in  the  teach- 
ing-process ;  all  these,  and  more  also.  Is  it  toward 
reverence,  toward  purity,  toward  truthfulness, toward 
courageous  independence,  toward  fidelity  in  little 
things,  toward  obedience,  toward  a  sense  of  sin, 
toward  repentance,  toward  prayerfulness,  toward  a 
restful  Christian  faith,  toward  a  grateful  love  of  God, 
toward  an  unselfish  love  of  one's  fellow-man, — is  it 
away  from  meanness  and  falsity  and  selfishness  and 
transgressions  of  every  kind, — that  you  would  influ- 


The  Sweet  Psalmist. 


249 


ence  your  scholars,  while  you  are  teaching  them — as 
well  as  at  other  times  ?  Be  sure  on  this  point,  for 
yourself,  and  then  pursue  your  teaching-work,  and 
your  other  work,  with  your  scholars,  accordingly. 

Being  sure  as  to  the  aim  of  your  endeavors  at 
influence,  you  can  make  good  use  of  all  your  knowl- 
edge of  truth,  of  all  your  knowledge  of  your  scholars, 
and  of  all  your  knowledge  of  wise  methods  of  doing, 
in  the  direction  of  that  aim.  Nor  is  any  of  your 
knowledge,  or  of  your  skill,  unimportant  in  the 
realm  of  influence.  "When  King  Saul  was  troubled 
by  an  evil  spirit,  David  was  brought  to  quiet  him  by 
the  influence  of  soothing  music.  As  David  stood 
before  Saul,  with  his  harp,  did  it  matter  nothing 
what  music  David  brought  from  that  harp,  or  how  ? 
Suppose  he  had  sounded  out  harsh  discords  there, 
or  had  struck  his  harp  to  the  notes  of  wild  martial 
airs  ?  Would  he  have  soothed  the  spirit  of  Saul  ? 
or,  have  jarred  upon  him,  and  increased  his  unrest 
of  soul?  It  was  the  gentle,  tender  notes  of  the 
sacred  music  of  "  the  sweet  psalmist  of  Israel,"  that 
hushed  to  repose  the  agitations  of  the  demon-pos- 
sessed king ;  and  it  was  the  hand  of  him  who  was 
"  cunning  in  playing,"  which  directed  the  influence 
of  the  soothing  airs  as  he  swept  the  harp-string;  "  so 
Saul  was  refreshed,  and  was  well,  and  the  evil  spirit 
departed  from  him."  He  who  would  influence  a 
disturbed  or  a  demon-possessed  spirit  to-day,  needs 
to  be  "  cunning  in  playing"  on  the  harp-strings  of 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


David  before 
Saul. 


250 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


David's  logic. 


truth ;  and  he  may  well  crave  the  skill  of  David  as 
well  as  the  faith  in  which  David  used  his  skill — on 
the  harp  or  with  the  sling. 

If  a  teacher  desires  earnestly  to,  influence  his 
scholars  to  a  personal  love  of  Jesus,  he  will  manifest 
that  desire  in  all  that  he  says,  or  does ;  and  all  the 
truth  that  he  teaches  will  be  made  to  apply  in  that 
direction.  "  Knowing,  therefore,  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,"  says  Paul,  "  we  persuade  men" — we  influ- 
ence men.  Old  Thomas  Fuller  says  :  "  Lord,  I  find 
David  making  a  syllogism,  in  mood  and  figure;  two 
propositions  he  perfected :  '  If  I  regard  wickedness 
in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me :  but  verily 
God  hath  heard  me;  he  hath  attended  to  the  voice 
of  my  prayer.'  Now  I  expected  that  David  should 
have  concluded  thus :  '  Therefore  I  regard  not  wick- 
edness in  my  heart; '  but  far  otherwise  he  concludes: 
'Blessed  be  God,  who  hath  not  turned  away  my 
prayer,  nor  his  mercy  from  me.'  Thus  David  hath 
deceived  me,  but  not  wronged  me.  I  looked  that  he 
should  have  clapped  the  crown  on  his  own,  and  he 
puts  it  on  God's  head.  I  will  learn  this  excellent 
logic  (for  I  like  David's  better  than  Aristotle's  syllo- 
gisms), that  whatever  the  premises  be,  I  make  God's 
glory  the  conclusion."  He  who  reasons  according 
to  David's  logic,  will  be  bent  on  influencing  men  to 
give  God  the  glory  in  all  things." 

Paul  was  a  powerful  logician.  He  was  a  great 
teacher.  He  argued  and  taught  earnestly  in  the  line 


"Uncle  John"  Vassar. 


251 


of  the  truth.  But  Paul  was  even  more  desirous  of 
influencing  his  brethren  toward  Christ,  than  of  con- 
vincing them  of  the  claims  of  Christ.  "  Brethren, 
my  heart's  desire  and  my  supplication  to  God  is  for 
them,  that  they  may  he  saved,"  he  said ;  and  again  : 
"  I  could  wish  that  I  myself  were  anathema  from 
Christ  for  my  brethren's  sake,  my  kinsmen  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh."  There  is  more  than  a  wish  faith- 
fully to  declare  the  truth,  in  such  utterances  as  these. 
And  where  that  spirit  prevails,  there  will  be  influ- 
encing as  well  as  instructing  for  the  right.  A  young 
woman  teacher,  who  found  her  health  failing 
rapidly,  said  earnestly  to  a  friend,  concerning  her 
Sunday-school  class :  "  I  would  be  willing  to  die  if 
only  by  that  means  I  could  win  my  scholars  to  a 
trust  in  the  Saviour."  Such  a  teacher  would  be  sure 
to  lose  no  opportunity  of  influencing  her  scholars  in 
the  direction  of  her  longings  and  prayers  for  them. 
Her  teachings  would  have  the  element  of  influence 
in  them,  or  would  have  the  power  of  influence  added 
to  them.  She  would  not  be  satisfied  with  merely 
bringing  out  the  truths  of  a  lesson  she  was  teaching ; 
her  endeavor  would  be  to  make  that  truth  influential 
for  good  to  her  scholars.  Every  teacher  has  a  re- 
sponsibility for  influence  as  well  as  for  instruction, 
in  class-work,  as  well  as  in  work  outside  of  the  class, 
on  behalf  of  the  scholars  of  that  teacher's  class. 

"  Uncle  John"  Vassar,  as  he  was  called,  was  a  lay- 
missionary  worker,  of  marvelous  power  in  influencing 


PART  II. 
The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. . 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Willing  to 
die. 


252 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


The  village 
blacksmith. 


men  toward  Christ.  The  secret  of  his  power,  was 
his  absorbing  desire  that  all  whom  he  knew  should 
know  and  love  his  Saviour.  It  was  not  his  teaching 
of  the  truth,  but  his  influencing  men  in  the  line  of 
the  truth,  that  made  him  so  effective  as  a  Christian 
evangelist.  He  could  never  be  in  the  company  of 
any  man,  saint  or  sinner,  for  a  single  hour,  hardly 
for  a  single  minute,  without  seeking  to  influence 
that  man  in  the  direction  of  his  Saviour.  On  one 
occasion,  he  visited  a  town  in  New  England  to  aid  a 
pastor  there  in  Christian  work.  As  the  pastor  was 
going  with  him  from  the  railroad  station  to  the  par- 
sonage, at  the  time  of  his  arrival,  the  former  pointed 
him  to  a  blacksmith's  shop  they  were  nearing,  and 
said  that  its  proprietor  was  something  of  a  scoffer, 
whom  he  would  like  "  Uncle  John"  to  have  a  con- 
versation with,  before  he  left  the  village.  "  Dear 
man,"  said  "  Uncle  John,"  heartily,  "  I'll  go  right 
and  see  him  now."  It  was  to  no  purpose  that  the 
pastor  suggested  that  the  blacksmith  was  shoeing  a 
horse,  and  that  customers  were  in  the  shop :  the 
King's  business  required  haste.  As  the  pastor 
looked  on  with  surprise,  he  saw  "  Uncle  John  "  go 
directly  to  the  blacksmith,  who  left  the  horse  he  was 
shoeing,  and  evidently  listened  attentively  to  the 
new-comer's  words.  It  was  but  a  few  minutes  be- 
fore "  Uncle  John  "  had  led  that  blacksmith  behind 
the  forge,  that  he  might  pray  for  him  then  and  there. 
It  was  "  Uncle  John's"  influence,  not  his  instructions, 


Memories  Recalled. 


253 


that  swept  that  blacksmith  away  from  his  ordinary 
course  of  thought  and  action.  The  last  time  I  met 
"  Uncle  John,"  he  entered  a  Fourth  Avenue  car,  at 
its  starting-point  near  the  Post-office,  in  New  York 
City,  just  as  I  had  taken  my  seat  in  it.  Hardly  had 
he  given  me  a  word  of  greeting,  and  spoken  of  the 
one  theme  ever  uppermost  in  his  mind,  when  a  third 
passenger  entered  the  car,  taking  his  seat  on  its 
opposite  side.  "Dear  man,"  said  "  Uncle  John,"  at 
once,  "  I  wonder  \f  he  loves  Jesus."  And  forthwith 
2ie  was  across  the  car,  seated  by  that  man,  with  his 
hand  on  his  knee,  trying  to  influence  him  toward 
Christ.  And  no  man  could  have  it  in  his  heart  to 
repel  the  unmistakable  personal  interest  in  his 
spiritual  welfare  which  "  Uncle  John's  "  very  tone 
and  manner,  as  well  as  his  words  of  affection,  made 
clear.  It  would  be  well  if  more  Sunday-school  teach- 
ers had  the  spirit  of  that  lay-missionary — even  if  they 
were  not  to  evidence  that  spirit  in  the  self-same  way. 
"Where  that  spirit  is,  there  is  sure  to  be  influence 
Christ-ward. 

Speaking  out  of  my  personal  experience,  I  can  say 
that  I  was  influenced,  while  a  scholar  in  the  Sunday- 
school,  a  great  deal  more  than  I  was  ever  taught  there. 
There  was  comparatively  little  of  thorough  or  syste- 
matic instruction  in  Bible-truth  in  my  boyhood  days ; 
but  there  was  influencing  then,  as  in  the  days  of 
David  and  of  Paul,  and  as  there  is  to-day.  I  can 
particularly  recall  two  of  my  teachers,  out  of  several, 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
aud  Using 
Influence. 


Does  he  love 
Jesus  ? 


Two  teachers 
remembered. 


254 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


A  loving 
word. 


Together 
with  teach- 
ing. 


One  made  it  his  whole  endeavor  to  instruct.  He 
declared  the  truth  explicitly  and  with  plainness ;  hut 
he  was  at  no  special  pains  to  influence  his  scholars 
personally.  The  other  was  a  man  of  less  knowl- 
edge, hut  was  possessed  with  zeal  for  souls.  His 
"  teaching  "  was  out  of  the  question-book,  and  was 
somewhat  perfunctory.  But  when  the  " lesson" 
was  over,  then  that  teacher  would  reach  forward  to 
his  class,  and  laying  his  hands  tenderly  on  the  knees 
of  one  scholar  or  another,  would  look  into  the  schol- 
ar's eyes,  writh  eyes  that  were  brimming  with  loving 
tears,  and  would  say,  with  a  tremulous  tenderness 
that  carried  the  weight  of  his  whole  soul  into  his 
words :  "  My  dear  boy,  I  do  wish  you  would  love 
Jesus,  and  give  him  your  whole  heart !  "  All  the 
instruction  out  of  the  question-book  of  one  of  those 
classes,  and  out  of  the  great  brain  of  the  teacher  of 
the  other  class,  has  long  ago  passed  from  the  mind 
of  the  scholar  who  tells  of  this ;  but  the  influence  of 
that  persistent  pleader  for  Christ  and  for  souls  is 
fresh  and  potent  to-day ;  and  the  pressure  of  those 
loving  hands  on  that  scholar's  knee  is  felt,  after  forty 


years. 


as  while  those  faithful  hands  still  rested  there. 


As  it  is  with  reference  to  the  personal  salvation  of 
the  scholar,  so  it  is  with  reference  to  every  point  of 
belief  and  of  practice  in  the  realm  of  the  teacher's 
oversight  and  endeavor.  The  teacher  will  seek  to 
influence  his  scholar  in  the  direction  of  the  right,  at 
the  same  time  that  he  teaches  the  truth  which  enjoins, 


Good  Superintendents. 


255 


or  which  illustrates,  that  phase  of  the  right ;  and  at 
all  other  times,  as  well.  If  a  teacher  wants  his 
scholars  to  he  always  truthful  and  honorable,  and  in 
the  best  sense  manly,  he  will  make  every  Bible  nar- 
rative, or  Bible  precept,  which  bears  on  the  principles 
involved  in  such  a  course,  ring  out  in  favor  of  the 
right,  and  against  the  wrong,  with  tones  so  sharp  and 
clear  that  there  can  be  no  mistaking  of  their  meaning. 
A  lie  will  have  no  favor  with  him  because  Abraham 
or  Eahab  told  it;  nor  will  personal  meanness  be 
spoken  of  with  allowance,  because  it  shows  itself  in 
the  course  of  Jacob.  He  will  cause  the  principles  laid 
down  in  the  Bible,  in  favor  of  truth  and  honor,  to 
appear  as  the  only  safe  ground  of  action,  regardless  of 
the  departure  from  that  standard  by  a  Jewish  patri- 
arch, or  by  a  Canaanitish  woman.  So,  again,  in  all 
that  relates  to  the  indulgence  of  appetite,  or  to  the  fol- 
lowing of  fashion  in  popular  amusements.  The  Bible- 
teachings  on  these  subjects  will  be  found,  and  will  be 
made  plain,  whatever  may  be  the  Lesson  Committee's 
title  of  the  passage  of  Scripture  for  the  day's  study. 

The  best  superintendents, "  those  who  are  most 
influential  for  good,  are  men  who  give  large  promi- 
nence to  influence,  in  all  that  they  say  and  do  as 
superintendents.  Their  evident  aim  is  to  make  all 
their  part  in  the  school  exercises  influential  over 
their  scholars,  in  the  right  direction.  Years  ago,  I 
looked  in  upon  the  Tabernacle  Sunday-school  of 
Chicago,  then  superintended  by  Major  D.  W.  Whittle, 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Having  a 
base-line, 


In  the  desk. 


256 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


afterwards  so  prominent  as  an  evangelist.  It  was 
evident  that  he  was  seeking,  by  all  his  conduct  and 
all  his  words,  to  make  the  restless  hundreds  of 
boys  and  girls  who  were  members  of  that  mission- 
school,  lovingly  reverent  in  their  spirit  and  manner. 
The  cabinet-organ  was  playing,  and  the  earlier  com- 
ers were  singing,  while  the  school  was  slowly  assem- 
bling. Meanwhile,  the  superintendent  was  near  the 
door,  greeting  each  scholar  and  teacher  with  a  kindly 
word  and  look.  When  the  hour  of  beginning  had 
arrived,  the  superintendent  stepped  quietly  to  the 
desk,  and,  without  so  much  as  a  bell-tap  to  call  atten- 
tion, he  faced  the  school,  and  raising  both  his  ex- 
tended hands  out  toward  the  school,  he  lowered 
them  slowly  arid  gently,  as  if  to  hush  the  school  to 
reverent  silence.  The  organ  notes  died  away;  and 
the  superintendent  said,  in  a  low,  clear  voice :  "  How 
quiet  and  still  it  is,  this  beautiful  autumn  Sabbath ! 
We  could  almost  hear  the  leaves  fall,  if  there  were 
trees  about  our  Tabernacle.  I  sometimes  wish  we 
had  trees  planted  all  around  our  building ;  that  we 
might  listen  for  the  falling  of  the  leaves."  And  that 
school-room  of  throbbing  life  was  reverently  quiet 
before  the  Lord.  There  was  no  instruction  in  the 
words  and  bearing  of  Major  Whittle,  in  that  opening 
service ;  but  there  was  influence  in  them,  as  he  in- 
tended there  should  be. 

For  years,  the  Sunday-school  of  the  Biddle  Market 
Mission,    in    St.   Louis,  was   superintended    by  a 


Tom  Morrison's  Work. 


257 


warm-hearted  Christian  worker,  familiarly  known  as 
"Tom"  Morrison.  There  was  very  little  attempt 
at  instruction  in  his  direction  of  the  school  exercises 
from  the  desk;  but  he  was  always  endeavoring  to 
influence  his  scholars  and  his  teachers  in  the  line  of 
his  own  thoughts  and  feelings.  I  sat  in  his  school,  one 
Sunday,  and  felt  the  power  of  his  deliberately  inten- 
tioned  influence  in  the  simple  reading  of  God's  word. 
When  he  had  brought  the  school,  of  wellnigh  a 
thousand  scholars,  to  reverent  silence,  he  said  ear- 
nestly :  "  Just  listen  now,  while  I  read  what  dear 
Jesus  says  about  his  love  for  us.  Listen  all  of  you." 
And  as  he  waited,  Bible  in  hand,  the  room  hushed 
to  a  silence  that  was  broken  only  by  the  gentle 
cadence  of  falling  water,  in  the  fountain  immediately 
before  him.  Even  that  pleasant  sound  seemed  to  be, 
in  his  mind,  a  possible  barrier  to  the  words  he  would 
have  every  ear  to  hear ;  so  he  stooped  from  his  place, 
and  shut  off  the  water  supply  for  the  moment. 
Then,  as  he  began  to  read,  "  I  am  the  good  shep- 
herd," his  eyes  filled  with  tears,  his  voice  trembled 
with  emotion,  and  his  whole  soul  seemed  to  go  out 
in  every  word  he  read.  There  was  no  new  teaching 
on  that  familiar  passage,  as  he  read  it.  Probably  not 
a  single  person  before  him  heard  it  now  for  the  first 
time.  But  there  was  a  new  influence  in  it,  an  influ- 
ence which  was  purposely  exerted  by  the  teacher  in 
the  direction  of  the  spirit  of  the  truths  of  that  pas- 
I  can  rarely  hear  that  passage  read  by  any 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Stopping  the 
fountain. 


258 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


A  preacher's 
influence. 


person,  now,  without  feeling  afresh  its  influence  as 
directed  by  "  Tom  "  Morrison's  reading  of  it  to  his 
Biddle  Market  Mission.  Influence  is  not  instruc- 
tion, but  influence  is  influence ;  and  influence  is 
worth  exerting,  either  with  or  without  instruction. 

It  is  the  preacher's  influencing-power  which  is  the 
preacher's  chief  power  as  a  preacher,  before  an 
ordinary  congregation.  Of  course,  if  a  preacher 
were  declaring  the  good-news  of  salvation  to  hearers 
who  were  before  unaware  of  it,  the  bare  information 
which  he  brought  to  their  knowledge  would  be 
freshly  instructive  to  them,  and  so  be  of  the  pro- 
foundest  importance.  But,  where  a  preacher  is 
repeating  familiar  Bible-truths  to  a  mixed  congrega- 
tion of  saints  and  sinners,  it  is  not  the  novelty  of  his 
discourse  which  gives  it  its  chief  value ;  and  since — 
as  has  been  already  shown  in  this  volume — a  preacher 
does  not  teach  a  truth,  either  fresh  or  trite,  by  merely 
telling  it,  therefore  it  is  not  as  a  means  of  direct 
instruction  that  his  discourses  have  their  highest  im- 
portance. Yet,  a  good  preacher's  preaching  does 
have  power  over  both  saints  and  sinners;  it  has  power 
by  its  influencing,  if  not  by  its  informing,  or  by  its 
instructing;  and  this  source  of  pulpit-power  is  not 
always  estimated  so  highly  as  it  should  be,  either  by 
preacher  or  by  hearer. 

Gospel  truth  can  be  made  influential  for  good,  by 
the  preacher  who  is  desirous  of  influencing  his  hear- 
ers by  means  of  that  truth.  Gospel  truth  often  is 


The  Elements  of  Preaching. 


259 


thus  influential.  The  familiar  illustrations  which 
have  heen  already  referred  to,  of  the  bleached  cloth 
and  the  cleansed  basket,  are  proper  illustrations  of 
the  truth  that  by  passive-hearing  one  may  be  fairly 
influenced  to  the  right ;  although,  as  has  been  shown, 
Ihey  are  misused  when  claimed  as  showing  that  one 
can  be  taught  while  listening  passively.  There  are 
preachers  on  every  side  who  are  influencing  contin- 
ually by  their  preaching.  There  are  hearers  by  the 
thousand  who  are  continually  being  influenced  by 
their  preachers.  Every  preacher  ought  always  to 
have  in  his  mind,  while  preparing  to  preach  and 
while  preaching,  the  influencing  power  of  the  truth 
he  would  preach.  That  preacher  makes  a  sad  mis- 
take, who,  confounding  preaching  with  teaching, 
aims  merely  at  an  exposition  of  truth,  deeming  it 
sufficient  to  disclose  the  truth  without  an  attempt  at 
making  it  influential  with  his  hearers,  for  their  good. 
It  is,  indeed,  the  influence  of  the  truth,  which  is  the 
chief  thing  to  be  aimed  at  by  the  preacher,  whether 
in  expository  or  in  topical  preaching. 

"  Preaching  is  the  communication  of  truth  by 
man  to  man,"  says  Phillips  Brooks.  "  It  has  in  it  two 
essential  elements,  truth  and  personality.  Neither 
of  these  can  it  spare,  and  still  be  preaching.  .  .  . 
The  truth  must  come  really  through  the  person,  not 
merely  over  his  lips,  not  merely  into  his  understand- 
ing and  out  through  his  pen.  It  must  come  through 
his  character,  his  affections,  his  whole  intellectual 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


The  truth 
influencing. 


Truth  and 
personality. 


260 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SKCTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Moody's 
power. 


The  gain  of 
knowledge. 


and  moral  being.  ...  I  think  that,  granting  equal 
intelligence  and  study,  here  is  the  great  difference 
which  we  feel  between  two  preachers  of  the  word. 
The  gospel  has  come  over  one  of  them.  .  .  .  The 
gospel  has  come  through  the  other."  The  one  has 
essayed  to  instruct  by  his  preaching.  The  other  has 
succeeded  in  influencing. 

"Who  supposes  that  Mr.  Moody's  preaching-power 
is  in  the  instruction  furnished  by  his  discourses? 
Who  can  doubt  that  his  preaching-po\ver  is  in  the 
influence  of  those  discourses  ?  If  it  be  said  that  his 
preaching-power,  like  the  power  of  any  other  really 
effective  preacher,  is  Holy  Ghost  power,  that  must, 
of  course,  be  admitted  ;  but  the  question  wrould  then 
again  recur,  How  does  the  Holy  Ghost  work  through 
the  preacher  ?  by  making  him  an  instructive  preacher ; 
or,  by  making  him  an  influential  preacher  ?  by  en- 
abling him  to  inform  his  hearers ;  or,  by  enabling 
him  to  influence  them  ? 

!N"or  does  this  uplifting  of  the  idea  of  the  influence 
of  truth  depreciate  the  value  and  the  importance  of 
freshness  and  force  in  the  truth  presented,  by  either 
preacher  or  teacher.  The  more  a  man  knows,  the 
better  he  is  furnished  for  preaching  or  for  teaching ; 
and  all  the  freshness  and  all  the  strength  he  can  dis- 
play in  his  selection  and  in  his  presentation  of  truth, 
will  be  an  added  means  of  influence  to  him,  if  he 
seeks  to  use  them  influentially.  A  ship  steers  better 
with  a  cargo  than  without  one.  A  preacher  or  a 


Rugby  Chapel. 


261 


teacher  who  has  knowledge,  and  who  seeks  to  impart 
it,  can  be  far  more  influential  than  if  without  knowl- 
edge. It  is  a  familiar  story,  that  an  ignorant  ex- 
horter  once  said  to  old  Dr.  South  :  "  The  Lord  has 
no  need  of  jour  book-larnin'."  "Whereat,  the  witty 
divine  answered  :  "  !N"or  has  he  any  greater  need  of 
your  ignorance."  "  '  The  knowledge  of  the  priest,' 
said  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  *  is  the  eighth  sacrament  of 
the  Church ; ' "  and  there  is  a  truth  in  that  sugges- 
tion for  every  branch  of  the  Church.  Influential 
preaching  and  teaching  ought  to  be  also  instructive 
preaching  and  teaching.  But  a  preacher  must  rely 
chiefly  on  influence  as  a  means  of  making  his  preach- 
ing effective,  and  a  teacher  ought  to  see  to  it  that  all 
his  teaching  is  made  influential  in  the  right  direction. 
Dr.  Thomas  Arnold  was  both  preacher  and 
teacher.  He  was  instructive  in  both  spheres.  He 
was  pre-eminently  influential  in  both.  His  scholars 
used  to  say,  that  a  boy  who  was  under  his  influence 
at  Rugby  could  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  do  a  notably 
mean  thing,  because  a  boy's  honor  was  made  so  much 
of  in  the  teacher's  teaching  and  practice.  They  also 
said,  that  they  were  influenced  by  the  evident  pur- 
pose of  his  chapel-discourses,  even  if  they  were  as  yet 
unable  to  be  instructed  by  them.  "  Tom  Brown  " 
tells  of  the  "  tall,  gallant  form,  the  kindling  eye,  the 
voice — now  soft  as  the  low  notes  of  a  flute,  now  clear 
and  stirring  as  the  call  of  the  light-infantry  bugle — of 
him  who  stood  there,  Sunday  after  Sunday,  witness- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


The  eighth 
sacrament. 


Dr.  Arnold's 
power. 


232 


Teaching  and  Teachers." 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


A  living 
helper. 


ing  and  pleading  [influencing]  for  his  Lord,  the  King 
of  righteousness  and  love  and  glory,  with  whose 
spirit  he  was  filled,  and  whose  power  he  spoke." 

"  What  was  it,  after  all,"  again  says  the  enthusi- 
astic school-chronicler,  "  which  seized  and  held  these 
three  hundred  boys,  dragging  them  out  of  them- 
selves, willing  or  unwilling,  for  twenty  minutes,  on 
Sunday  afternoons  ?  .  .  .  We  couldn't  enter  into 
that  we  heard ;  we  hadn't  the  knowledge  of  our  own 
hearts,  or  the  knowledge  of  one  another,  and  little 
enough  of  the  faith,  hope,  and  love  needed  to  that 
end.  But  we  listened,  as  all  boys  in  their  better 
moods  will  listen  (ay,  and  men  too,  for  the  matter 
of  that),  to  a  man  whom  we  felt  to  be,  with  all  his 
heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,  striving  against  what- 
ever was  mean,  and  unmanly,  and  unrighteous,  in 
our  little  world.  It  was  not  the  cold,  clear  voice  of 
one  giving  advice  and  warning  from  the  serene 
heights,  to  those  who  were  struggling  and  sinning 
below,  but  the  warm,  living  voice  of  one  who  was 
fighting  for  us  by  our  sides,  and  calling  on  us  to  help 
him,  and  ourselves,  and  one  another.  And  so,  wearily 
and  little  by  little,  but  surely  and  steadily,  on  the 
whole,  was  brought  home  to  the  young  boy,  for  the 
first  time,  the  meaning  of  his  life, — that  it  was  no 
fools'  or  sluggards'  paradise,  into  which  he  had  wan- 
dered by  chance,  but  a  battle-field  ordained  from  of 
old,  where  there  are  no  spectators,  but  the  youngest 
must  take  his  side,  and  the  stakes  are  life  and  death." 


A  Parent's  Power 


263 


Nor  was  this  influence  of  Dr.  Arnold,  over  his 
scholars,  in  the  direction  of  courageous  Christian 
manliness,  an  incidental  and  unintended  influence. 
It  was  purposed  hy  him,  and  his  whole  soul  was  in 
it.  Similarly,  every  good  teacher,  in  week-day 
school  or  Sunday-school,  has  some  phase  of  conduct, 
or  some  principle  of  action,  in  the  direction  of  which 
he  is  constantly  seeking  to  influence  the  scholars  of 
his  charge;  and  the  success  of  every  teacher  is 
largely  dependent  on  his  effectiveness  in  the  direc- 
tion of  his  intended  influence. 

Any  wise  parent  knows,  that  his  power  over  his 
children  for  good  depends  more  on  his  endeavors  to 
influence  them  to  the  right,  than  on  any  effort  which 
he  makes  to  instruct  them  in  the  right.  It  is  not 
that  he  is  to  neglect  their  instruction,  hut  that  while 
instructing  them,  as  well  as  at  other  times,  he  is  to 
strive  to  influence  them  in  the  direction  of  his  long- 
ings and  his  prayers  for  them.  A  good  mother,  at 
an  advanced  age,  said  with  reference  to  the  use  of 
tohacco  by  her  own  sons:  "I  always  wanted  my 
children  not  to  use  tobacco ;  and  I  often  told  them 
BO.  But  I  wish  that  I  had  realized  its  evil  when  I 
was  a  young  mother  as  I  do  to-day.  If  I  had,  my 
children  would  never  have  touched  it ;  for  I  would 
have  died  but  I  would  have  influenced  them  to  abhor 
it."  Professor  Calvin  E.  Stowe,  when  already  a 
venerable  theological  professor,  told  of  his  father's 
influencing  him,  while  yet  a  child  to  a  reverential 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Worth  of  a 
purpose. 


Against 
tobacco. 


264 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Handle  with 
care. 


One  side 
only. 


regard  for  the  Bible  itself.  That  father  always 
spoke  of  the  Bible  with  a  reverent  tenderness,  and 
even  handled  it,  as  a  book,  in  the  same  spirit.  "  I 
remember,"  said  the  aged  Professor,  "my  father 
handing  the  Bible  to  me,  when,  at  one  time,  I  wanted 
to  find  something  in  it.  He  took  it  into  his  hands  as 
if  it  were  a  sacred  thing ;  and  as  he  put  it  into  my 
hands  he  said,  in  seriousness,  '  Be  very  careful  of 
this  Book,  my  son ;  for  it's  very  precious."'  And  so 
that  father  not  only  taught  that  truth  to  his  son,  but 
he  sought,  not  unsuccessfully,  to  influence  his  son  in 
the  direction  of  that  truth.  Thus,  also,  it  ought  to 
be  in  the  endeavors  of  every  parent,  every  teacher, 
and  every  preacher,  concerning  whatever  evil,  or 
whatever  good,  has  prominence  in  the  mind  of  the 
instructor.  Teaching  should  be  counted  rather  as 
an  incident  to  right  influence,  than  as  a  substitute  for 
it.  To  teach  the  truth  as  if  it  were  to  stand  or  fall 
on  its  own  merits,  is  but  a  minor  matter  at  the  best. 
To  use  the  truth  as  a  means  of  influence  in  behalf  of 
that  which  is  far  dearer  to  the  teacher  than  life  itself, 
is  a  very  different  matter.  He  who  recognizes  his 
duty  of  influencing  his  scholars,  teaches  as  for  his 
life,  and  theirs. 

All  that  has  been  said,  up  to  this  point,  concern- 
ing the  power  and  the  duty  of  influence  in  a  teacher's 
sphere  and  work,  has  had  reference  only  to  conscious 
and  voluntary  and  intended  influence.  The  other 
great  phase  of  influence  has  been  left  untouched : 


Unconscious  Influence. 


265 


that  influence  which  is  unconscious,  involuntary,  and 
unintended ;  that  influence  which  emanates  from  the 
teacher's  v^ry  character,  disclosing  itself,  without  his 
having  a  thought  of  such  a  disclosure,  in  his  actions 
and  manner  and  incidental  words,  also  in  his  looks 
and  in  the  varying  expressions  of  his  countenance. 
This  latter  phase  of  influence,  however,  is  obviously 
too  important  to  he  overlooked,  or  to  be  under- 
valued, in  a  discussion  of  the  teacher's  work. 

Dr.  Bushnell  did  more  than  any  man  had  done 
before,  to  bring  out  the  importance  and  the  practical 
value  of  this  involuntary  or  unconscious  influence. 
Indeed,  the  very  term  "  unconscious  influence  "  had 
its  origin,  as  a  specific  term,  in  his  famous  sermon, 
of  forty  years  ago,  on  this  subject,  from  the  text 
"  Then  went  in  also  that  other  disciple."  He  showed 
most  clearly,  that  as  Peter  unconsciously  influenced 
the  action  of  John  at  the  opetf  sepulchre  of  Jesus, 
and  as  John  unconsciously  was  influenced  by  Peter 
on  that  occasion,  so,  also,  in  many  a  sphere,  "  a  Peter 
leads  a  John,  a  John  goes  after  a  Peter,  both  of  them 
unconscious  of  any  influence  exerted  or  received. 
And  thus  our  lives  and  conduct  are  ever  propagating 
themselves,  by  a  law  of  social  contagion,  throughout 
the  circles  and  times  in  which  we  live."  On  the  one 
hand,  he  pointed  out  that  every  man  speaks  to  his 
fellows  by  two  modes  of  language ;  the  language  of 
speech,  and  the  language  of  other  expression  than 
speech — "  that  expression  of  the  eye,  the  face,  the 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


Thoughtless 
work. 


Dr.  Bushnell's 
sermon. 


266 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Hearing  with 
the  eyes. 


The  man 
back  of  the 
sermon. 


look,  the  gait,  the  motion,  the  time  or  cadence,  which 
is  sometimes  called  the  natural  language  of  the  sen- 
timents." On  the  other  hand,  that  "  we*find  every 
man  with  two  inlets  of  impression :  the  ear  and  the 
understanding  for  the  reception  of  speech ;  and,  the 
sympathetic  powers,  the  sensibilities  or  affections,  for 
tinder  to  those  sparks  of  emotion  revealed  hy  looks, 
tones,  manners,  and  general  conduct."  And  com- 
monly the  impressions  received  by  us  through  our 
sympathetic  powers  are  more  effective,  in  their 
influence  upon  us,  than  those  which  come  through 
the  understanding  only.  "  Beholding,  as  in  a  glass, 
the  feelings  of  our  neighbor,  we  are  changed  into  the 
same  image,  by  the  assimilating  power  of  sensibility 
and  fellow-feeling." 

This  power  of  personal  character  as  affecting  the 
influence  of  the  truth  proclaimed  by  the  person,  has 
always  been  reco^iized  in  connection  with  the 
preacher  of  truth.  It  is  the  man  back  of  the  sermon 
that  gives  the  sermon  its  chief  power  as  a  sermon. 
Milton  refers  to  this  influence  of  character  as  increas- 
ing the  force  of  the  words  of  truth,  when  he  pictures 
Satan,  awed  by  the  character  of  the  angelic  messen- 
ger whose  words  he  would  not  heed  : 

"  So  spake  the  Cherub ;  and  his  grave  rebuke, 
Severe  in  youthful  beauty,  added  grace 
Invincible :  abashed  the  Devil  stood, 
And  felt  how  awful  goodness  is,  and  saw 
Virtue  in  her  shape  how  lovely. 


The  Church  Window. 


267 


And  George  Herbert  represents  the  preacher  of 
Christ  as  having  power  for  Christ  just  in  proportion 
as  the  character  and  life  of  Christ  are  reproduced  in 
the  character  and  life  of  the  preacher :  Jesus  himself 
being,  as  it  were,  pictured  in  the  very  countenance 
of  him  who  tells  of  Jesus ;  as  though  the  preacher 
were  a  pictured- window  in  the  church,  whereon  were 
delineated  the  features  of  the  Son  of  God. 

"  Lord,  how  can  man  preach  thy  eternal  word  ? 

He  is  a  brittle,  crazy-glass : 
Yet  in  thy  temple  thou  dost  him  afford 
This  glorious  and  transcendent  place, 
To  be  a  window,  through  thy  grace. 

"  But  when  thou  dost  anneal  in  glass  thy  story, 

Making  thy  life  to  shine  within 
The  holy  preachers,  then  the  light  and  glory 
More  reverend  grows,  and  more  doth  win ; 
Which  else  shows  waterish,  bleak,  and  thin. 

"  Doctrine  and  life,  color  and  light,  in  one, 
When  they  combine  and  mingle,  bring 
A  strong  regard  and  awe :  but  speech  alone 
Doth  vanish  like  a  flaring  thing, 
And  in  the  ear,  not  conscience,  ring." 

Here,  indeed,  in  this  influence  of  the  personal 
character  of  him  who  proclaims  the  truth,  there 
would  seem  to  be  one  reason  for  the  Incarnation ; 
certainly  one  advantage  of  it.  God's  word  has  a 
power  over  man  when  expressed  in  an  individual 
life,  which  that  word  lacks  as  a  mere  abstraction. 
Therefore,  God  condescended  to  draw  man  "  with 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


A  story  in 
glass. 


The  Incarna- 
tion. 


268 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


The  Truth  in 
a  Life. 


cords  of  a  man,  with  bonds  of  love ;  "  "  and  the  Word 
was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  (and  we  beheld 
his  .glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father)  full  of  grace  and  truth."  Before  this,  God's 
truth  had  been  proclaimed ;  now  it  was  exhibited. 
Instruction  had  not  been  lacking ;  but  influence 
were  impossible  to  the  same  extent  without,  as  with, 
the  embodiment  of  the  taught-truth  in  a  personality. 
Or,  as  Tennyson  phrases  this  sentiment : 

"  Tho'  truths  in  manhood  darkly  join, 

Deep-seated  in  our  mystic  frame, 

We  yield  all  blessing  to  the  name 
Of  Him  that  made  them  current  coin ; 

"  For  wisdom  dealt  with  mortal  powers, 
Where  truth  in  closest  words  shall  fail, 
When  truth  embodied  in  a  tale 
Shall  enter  in  at  lowly  doors. 

"And  so  the  Word  had  breath,  and  wrought 
With  human  hands  the  creed  of  creeds 
In  loveliness  of  perfect  deeds, 
More  strong  than  all  poetic  thought ; 

"  Which  he  may  read  that  binds  the  sheaf, 
Or  builds  the  house,  or  digs  the  grave, 
And  those  wild  eyes  that  watch  the  wave 
In  roarings  round  the  coral  reef." 

And  so  it  is,  that  the  "  influence,"  which  was  first 
counted  an  inflowing  upon  our  lives  from  the 
heavenly  bodies,  is  found  to  be  an  inflowing  upon  us 
from  the  embodied  truths  of  heaven ;  and  that  he  who 
has  most  of  the  spirit  of  Christ,  who  is  nearest  to 


A  Pioneer  Missionary. 


269 


Christ  in  his  character  and  speech,  and  methods  of 
working,  in  any  and  every  sphere  of  truth-proclaim- 
ing, has  more  of  influence  over  those  who  hear  and 
observe  him. 

Illustrations  of  the  power  of  that  influence  which 
is  found  in  one's  personality,  as  over  against,  or  as  in 
addition  to,  any  influence  of  the  truth  which  one  has 
to  present,  are  to  be  noted  in  all  spheres  and  on 
every  side.  A  pioneer  Sunday-school  missionary 
was  canvassing  a  thinly  settled  neighborhood  in  the 
West,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Sunday-school 
in  the  log  school-house  of  the  settlement.  Going 
through  a  clearing,  he  met  a  little  boy  whom  he  had 
not  seen  before ;  and,  greeting  him  pleasantly,  he 
asked  him  to  take  a  seat  by  him,  on  a  fallen  tree- 
trunk.  As  they  sat  there,  the  missionary  gave  the 
boy  a  little  picture-card,  and  told  him  of  his  plans 
for  a  Sunday-school,  and  of  the  meeting  called  for 
that  evening,  for  the  starting  of  the  school.  "  We  are 
going  to  have  a  nice  school,"  he  said;  "and  we  want 
all  the  boys  to  be  in  it.  You'll  come  and  join  us,  to- 
night,— won't  you  ? "  "  IsTo,"  was  the  abrupt  and  em- 
phatic reply.  The  missionary  was  not  a  man  to  be  easily 
discouraged ;  so  he  took  out  a  picture-paper  from 
his  pocket,  and,  putting  his  arm  tenderly  around  the 
little  fellow,  he  showed  the  paper,  and  explained  its 
pictures;  adding,  that  papers  like  that  would  be 
given  to  the  scholars  of  the  new  Sunday-school,  and 
that  attractive  books  would  be  loaned  to  them  also. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


An  inaccessi- 
ble boy. 


270 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


u  You'll  come,  and  get  some  of  those  papers  and  books, 
— won't  you  ? "  he  said  confidently.  But,  again, 
an  emphatic  "  No  "  was  the  boy's  only  answer.  That 
did  seem  a  little  discouraging ;  but  the  missionary 
tried  once  more.  He  was  a  sweet  singer,  and  he 
thought  he  would  try  the  power  of  music,  on  the  boy. 
He  sang  several  verses  of  "  I  have  a  Father  in  the 
Promised  Land;  "  and  then  he  looked  down  at  the 
little  fellow,  without  a  doubt  of  the  result  of  this 
trial,  and  said  heartily :  "  There,  we're  going  to  have 
such  singing  as  that  in  the  Sunday-school.  "Won't 
you  come  and  hear  it,  and  learn  to  sing  for  yourself?  " 
"  No  "  was,  for  the  third  time,  the  resolute  reply. 
Then  the  missionary  was  discouraged.  He  had  found 
one  inaccessible  boy ;  so  he  rose  from  his  place  on 
the  log  to  go  his  way,  leaving  the  boy  sitting  there. 
"  Say !  "  called  out  the  boy,  as  the  missionary  moved 
off:  "  Are  you  goin'  to  be  there  ?  "  "  Yes,  I  expect 
to  be  there  to-night,"  answered  the  missionary. 
ki  Then,  I'll  come,"  responded  the  boy;  and  the  boy 
was  there,  when  the  school  was  started. 

Ah  !  there  was  the  power  of  unconscious  personal 
influence.  The  truth  that  a  Sunday-school  was  to 
be  started,  was  in  itself  of  no  weight  with  that  boy. 
All  the  direct  arid  intentional  efforts  of  that  mission- 
ary to  influence  the  boy,  by  kind  words,  by  earnest 
invitings,  by  the  exhibit  of  cards  and  papers,  and  a 
promise  of  attractive  books,  and  by  the  inducements 
of  music,  were  ineffective.  The  boy  knew  little 


Unconscious  Tuition. 


271 


about  those  things,  and  he  cared  less.  But  he  had 
a  human  heart,  and  that  heart  was  touched  and 
swayed  by  the  personal  interest  in  himself,  on  the 
part  of  the  man  who  had  been  sitting  by  his  side  on 
the  log,  whose  arm  had  been  put  around  him  ten- 
derly, and  who  had  been  at  the  pains  to  show  him 
those  things,  and  to  sing  to  him.  He  wanted  to  be 
near  that  man.  If  that  man  was  to  be  in  the  school- 
house,  the  boy  wanted  to  be  there  also.  If  it  had 
been  a  grog-shop  to  which  that  man  were  going, 
the  boy  would  have  been  ready  to  follow  him  there. 
And  so  the  unconscious-influence  is  influencing,  all 
unconsciously  to  themselves,  the  boys  and  the  girls 
and  the  men  and  the  women,  in  our  newer  settle- 
ments and  in  our  older  ones:  influencing  them  for 
the  right  or  against  it,  to  the  Sunday-school  or  to 
the  drinking-saloon. 

The  importance  and  the  potency  of  this  unconscious 
personal  influence  in  every  endeavor  at  religiously 
teaching  the  young,  is  obvious.  Bishop  Huntington, 
wrhile  he  was  yet  a  professor  in  Harvard  University, 
gave  emphasis  to  this  matter  in  an  admirable  essay 
on  Unconscious  Tuition,  which  was,  in  fact,  an  expan- 
sion of  the  truth  brought  out  by  Dr.  Bushnell,  in  its 
application  to  the  work  of  the  teacher.  "  There  is 
something  very  affecting,"  he  said,  u  in  the  simple 
and  solemn  earnestness  with  which  children  look 
into  their  elders'  faces.  They  know,  by  an  instinct, 
that  they  shall  find  there  an  unmistakable  signal  of 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


Led  along. 


Bishop  Hun< 
tinjrton's 


272 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


The  gospel 
of  the  face. 


To  say  or  to 
be. 


what  they  have  to  expect.  It  is  as  if  the  Maker  had 
set  up  that  open  dial  of  muscle  and  fibre,  color  and 
form,  eye  and  mouth,  to  mock  all  schemes  of  con- 
cealment, and  [to]  decree  a  certain  amount  of  mutual 
acquaintance  between  all  persons,  as  the  basis  of 
confidence  or  suspicion.  It  is  the  unguarded  ren- 
dezvous of  all  the  imponderable  couriers  of  the  heart. 
It  is  the  public  playground  of  all  the  fairies  or  imps 
of  passion A  teacher  has  only  partially  com- 
prehended the  powers  of  his  place,  who  has  left 
out  the  lessons  of  his  own  countenance.  There  is 
a  perpetual  picture,  which  his  pupils  study  as  un- 
consciously as  he  exhibits  it."  And  so,  again,  there 
are  manifestations  of  a  teacher's  self  in  his  voice 
and  manners  and  general  bearing,  as  this  writer 
illustrates  most  impressively.  And,  beyond  all  de- 
finable details,  "  there  is  a  total  impression  going 
out  from  character  through  the  entire  person,  which 
we  cannot  wholly  comprehend  under  any  terms, 
nor  grasp  in  any  analysis." 

A  teacher  inevitably  influences  more  by  what  he 
is  seven  days  in  the  week,  than  by  what  he  says  one 
day  in  the  week.  He  sways  his  scholars  by  his  own 
character,  and  his  own  character  even  limits  or  mag- 
nifies the  power  of  the  word  of  truth  which  he 
teaches.  This  thought  uplifts  the  possible  power  of 
a  teacher,  and  it  deepens  the  sense  of  his  responsi- 
bility as  a  teacher.  In  order  to  his  best  teaching, 
a  teacher  must  be  the  best  man  he  can  be.  In  pro- 


Loyalty  to  an  Ideal. 


273 


portion  as  he  is  a  true  man  of  God,  can  he  have 
power  in  teaching  the  truth  of  God.  The  first  and 
the  highest  preparation  of  a  teacher,  for  his  work  of 
having  and  using  influence  wisely,  is,  therefore,  the 
preparation  of  himself  in  the  faith  and  in  the  like- 
ness of  Christ.  "  The  measure  of  real  influence  " 
says  Huntington,  "  is  the  measure  of  genuine  per- 
sonal substance."  "  The  Christian  is  called  a  light, 
not  lightning,"  says  Bushnell.  "In  order  to  act 
with  effect  on  others,  he  must  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and 
thus  become  the  image  of  goodness :  he  must  be  so 
akin  to  God,  and  so  filled  with  his  dispositions,  that 
he  shall  seem  to  surround  himself  with  a  hallowed 
atmosphere.  It  is  folly  to  endeavor  to  make  our- 
selves shine  before  we  are  luminous.  If  the  sun 
without  his  beams  should  talk  to  the  planets,  and 
argue  with  them  till  the  final  day,  it  would  not  make 
them  shine;  there  must  be  light  in  the  sun,  and 
then  they  will  shine,  of  course." 

And  if  teachers  shine,  their  scholars  rejoice  in 
their  light.  "  There  is  a  touching  plea,"  says  Hun- 
tington, again,  in  speaking  of  even  the  lower  plane 
of  secular  teaching, — "  there  is  a  touching  plea 
in  the  loyal  ardor  with  which  the  young  are  ready 
to  look  to  their  guides.  In  all  men,  and  in  women 
more  than  in  men,  and  in  children  most  of  all,  there 
is  the  natural  instinct  and  passion  for  impersonating 
all  ideal  excellence  in  some  superior  being,  and  for 
living  in  intense  devotion  to  a  heroic  presence.  It 


274 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


is  the  privilege  of  every  teacher  to  occupy  that  place, 
to  ascend  that  lawful  throne  of  homage  arid  of  love, 
if  he  will.  If  his  pupils  love  [and  honor]  him,  he 
stands  their  ideal  of  a  heroic  nature.  Their  ro- 
mantic fancy  invests  him  with  unreal  graces.  Long 
after  his  lessons  are  forgotten,  he  remains  in  mem- 
ory, a  teaching  power.  It  is  his  own  forfeit  if,  by  a 
sluggish  brain,  mean  manners,  or  a  small  and  selfish 
heart,  he  alienates  that  confidence  and  disappoints 
that  generous  hope."  And  if  a  teacher  fails  his 
scholar  at  this  point  of  character,  the  loss  to  scholar 
as  well  as  to  teacher  is  unspeakable ;  for  the  failure 
of  one  who  is  invested  with  ideal  qualities  is  a  failure 
beyond  the  actual  reality.  Hawthorne,  in  The 
Marble  Faun,  speaking  of  this  truth,  as  he  has 
spoken  of  almost  every  truth  in  the  sweep  of  human 
fellowships,  says  :  "  The  character  of  our  individual 
beloved  one  having  invested  itself  with  all  the  attri- 
butes of  right, — that  one  friend  being  to  us  the 
symbol  and  representative  of  whatever  is  good  and 
true, — when  he  falls,  the  effect  is  almost  as  if  the  sky 
fell  with  him,  bringing  down  in  chaotic  ruin  the  col- 
umns that  upheld  our  faith.  We  struggle  forth 
again,  no  doubt,  bruised  and  bewildered.  We  stare 
wildly  about  us,  and  discover — or  it  may  be  we 
never  make  the  discovery — that  it  was  not  actually 
the  sky  that  has  tumbled  down,  but  merely  a  frail 
structure  of  our  own  rearing,  which  never  rose 
higher  than  the  house-tops,  and  has  fallen  because 


A  Question  of  Christian  Liberty 


275 


we  founded  it  on  nothing.  But  the  crasi,  and  the 
affright  and  trouble,  are  as  overwhelming,  for  the 
time,  as  if  the  catastrophe  involved  the  whole  moral 
world.  Remembering  these  things,  let  them  suggest 
one  generous  motive  for  walking  needfully  amid  the 
defilement  of  earthly  ways !  [And  how  much  more 
weight  should  this  thought  of  Hawthorne's  have 
with  the  Sunday-school  teacher  than  with  the  ordi- 
nary reader  !]  Let  us  reflect,  that  the  highest  path 
is  pointed  out  by  the  pure  ideal  of  those  who  look 
up  to  us,  and  who,  if  we  tread  less  loftily,  may  never 
look  so  high  again." 

And  just  here  it  is  that  the  duty  which  Paul 
pointed  out,  of  guarding  our  conduct,  even  within 
the  limits  of  Christian  liberty,  with  an  eye  to  the 
tender  consciences  of  sensitive  observers,  comes  into 
exceptional  prominence  in  the  sphere  of  the  Sunday- 
school  teacher.  There  are  few  teachers  who  would 
not  shrink  from  the  thought  of  doing  an  obvious 
wrong  which  might  be  the  means  of  destroying 
their  influence  for  good  with  their  scholars;  but 
there  are  many  teachers  who  feel  free  to  do  that 
which  their  scholars  may,  indeed,  look  upon  as 
wrong,  but  which  they  themselves  consider  both 
innocent  and  allowable.  They  fail  to  realize  the 
truth  that  the  question  of  their  personal  influence 
for  Christ  brings  a  new  element  into  the  question, 
whether  that  which  they  know  to  be  lawful  is,  in  their 
case,  also  expedient.  A  Christian  mother  came  to 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


The  highest 
ideal. 


Being  a 
stumbling- 
block. 


276 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Influence 
lost. 


The  liberty  to 
let  alone. 


"  said  the  mother.     u  What  can  I 
mj  boy  out  of  that  class?     It 


me  to  ask  my  counsel  concerning  her  son.  He  had 
admired  and  loved  his  Sunday-school  teacher;  but 
he  had  learned  that  that  teacher  was  accustomed  to 
attend  the  theatre,  and  at  once  he  lost  confidence  in 
his  teacher's  Christian  character.  "Nothing  that 
that  teacher  can  say,  will  now  have  any  influ- 
ence with  my  son, 
do  ?  Shall  I  take 
seems  useless  for  him  to  remain  there  any  longer.'* 
The  question  in  such  a  case  is  not,  whether  the 
teacher  had  a  moral  right  to  pursue  the  course 
which  he  did  concerning  theatre-going;  but,  whether 
it  was  wise  for  him  thus  to  endanger  his  influence 
with  his  scholars. 

There  are  many  such  cases  as  this.  "Wine-drink- 
ing, tobacco-using,  card-playing,  dancing,  as  well  as 
theatre-going,  on  a  teacher's  part,  have  many  times 
weakened  or  destroyed  the  teacher's  good  influence 
over  his  scholars  in  the  Sunday-school.  It  is  of  no 
use  to  say  that,  because  these  things  are  in  themselves 
harmless  and  allowable,  as  the  teacher  looks  at  them, 
therefore  they  are  to  be  adhered  to,  at  whatever  con- 
sequences to  scholars  who  have  weak  consciences  on 
these  points.  If,  indeed,  adherence  to  a  matter  in 
dispute  is  a  clear  point  of  duty;  if  a  teacher  can  say, 
concerning  any  of  the  above-named  practices,  that 
lie  has  no  right  to  abstain  from  it;  that  he  must  wit- 
ness for  it,  as  a  means  of  promoting  it  for  Christ, — 
then,  of  course,  it  is  not  within  the  sphere  of  his 


The  Aftermath  of  Influence. 


277 


Christian  liberty ;  lie  must  stand  by  it,  at  every  cost 
or  risk  to  himself  or  to  others.  But  if  it  is  a  matter 
where  he  can  choose  for  himself  which  course  he 
will  pursue,  and  he  knows  that  his  scholars  are  in- 
clined to  count  indulgence,  in  that  line,  a  lowering 
of  the  Christian  standard,  and  abstinence  the  course 
of  the  pure  and  the  devoted  Christian,  then,  surely, 
he  is  bound  to  consider  his  influence  over  those 
scholars  as  an  important  element  in  his  decision  of 
personal  duty.  .Then  it  is  that  the  inspired  admo- 
nition should  ring  anew  in  his  ears :  "  Take  heed 
lest  by  any  means  this  liberty  of  yours  [this  liberty 
of  indulgence]  become  a  stumbling-block  to  the 
weak," — lest  *'  through  thy  knowledge  [thy  knowl- 
edge of  the  innocence  of  that  which  by  some  is 
counted  as  wrong]  he  that  is  weak  perish eth,  the 
brother  for  whose  sake  Christ  died.  And  thus,  sin- 
ning against  the  brethren,  and  wounding  their  con- 
science, when  it  is  weak,  ye  sin  against  Christ." 

A  teacher's  influence  for  good,  whether  it  be  his 
intentionally-directed  influence,  or  his  influence  ex- 
erted unconsciously,  is  not  always  manifested  imme- 
diately in  the  scholar's  character  or  conduct.  It  is 
never ,  indeed,  shown  in  its  fullness  at  the  first.  It  is 
often  unapparent  at  the  beginning,  and  sometimes 
for  long  years  afterward ;  yet  it  is  all  the  more  real 
for  its  vitality  during  a  period  of  prolonged  dor- 
mancy. And  there  is  stimulus  and  encouragement 
to  the  faithful  teacher  in  this  thought. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Take  heed  I 


Seed-time 
and  harvest. 


278 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


John  New- 
ton's mother. 


A  mission- 
scholar. 


John  Newton's  mother  died  when  he  was  scarcely 
seven  years  old.  She  had  "been  faithful  in  word  and 
in  character,  in  her  purpose  of  influencing  her  son 
aright;  but  he  grew  up  godless  and  vicious.  A  pro- 
fane infidel  sailor,  the  servant  of  a  slave-dealer,  and 
again  a  public  felon,  bound  in  irons  and  flogged  at 
the  whipping-post,  his  manhood's  first  harvest  seemed 
a  poor  garnering  for  his  mother's  sowing.  But 
underneath  the  surface  of  his  heart's  soil  lay  buried 
the  memory  of  that  mother's  hand  upon  his  head  in 
prayer,  as  he  kneeled  with  her  in  his  boyhood.  The 
loving  pressure  of  that  hand  was  never  wholly  lost  to 
him.  It  was  felt  by  him,  at  times,  in  all  his  darkest 
days  of  sinning ;  and,  by  God's  grace,  it  gently  drew 
him  back  to  the  place  of  faith-filled  prayer.  From 
that  root  of  influence  there  came  the  starting  of  new 
life  in  all  the  field  of  his  mind  and  heart ;  and  the 
aftermath  of  his  mother's  influence  has  filled  the 
world  with  song  and  story.  And  so,  to  a  lesser  or  a 
larger  degree,  with  many  another  wayward  boy,  from 
home  or  from  school. 

In  the  city  mission-school  in  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
where  I  took  some  of  my  earliest  lessons  in  the 
methods  and  the  possibilities  of  teaching,  more  than 
thirty  years  ago,  a  kind-hearted  teacher  toiled  faith- 
fully and  endured  patiently  with  one  boy  in  his  class 
who  seemed  thoroughly  and  hopelessly  bad.  He 
visited  that  boy  in  his  wretched  home,  he  invited 
him  to  his  own  pleasant  room,  he  clothed  him,  he 


A  Rescued  Prodigal. 


279 


found  one  place  after  another  of  employment  for  him, 
he  spoke  to  him  always  in  kindness,  counseling  and 
warning  him  untiringly ;  but  all  to  no  seeming  pur- 
pose. The  boy  was  still  wild,  coarse,  profane,  reck- 
less, ungrateful ;  and  at  last  he  ran  away  from  his 
home,  and  shipped  on  a  Liverpool  vessel  from  New 
York.  The  end  had  come  to  his  life  in  that  mission- 
school.  "Was  there  nothing  to  show  for  all  the  influ- 
ence which  had  been  exerted,  in  his  behalf,  there  ? 
Three  years  went  by.  Then  from  the  interior  of 
British  India  word  came  from  that  boy,  saying  that 
he  was  a  soldier  in  the  English  army  under  Sir  Colin 
Campbell,  battling  against  the  Sepoys.  Already  he 
had  marched  nine  hundred  miles,  and  had  endured 
untold  privations  and  hardships.  But  there,  in  that 
far  land,  shut  in  among  the  mountains,  away  from 
home  and  Christian  surroundings,  sick  in  body  and 
sad  in  spirit,  he  had  recalled  the  lessons  of  his  Hart- 
ford mission-school ;  and  now  the  aftermath  of  his 
discouraged  teacher's  influence  showed  itself  in  his 
words  of  penitence  and  gratitude,  and  of  trust  in 
his  Redeemer's  love. 

It  is  natural  and  proper  to  expect  the  greatest  good 
in  the  immediate  results  of  influence ;  but  we  are 
encouraged  also  to  believe  that  the  secondary,  or  the 
ultimate,  results  of  good  influence  may  be  even  larger 
and  better  than  the  primary  results.  If  not  now, 
then  by  and  by.  If  not  in  the  first  garnering,  then 
in  the  aftermath. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Saved  at  last, 


By  and  by. 


280 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Ten  thou- 
sand ages. 


Another 
illustration. 


"  Age  is  opportunity  no  less 
Than  youth  itself,  though  in  another  dress; 
And  as  the  evening  twilight  fades  away, 
The  sky  is  filled  with  stars  invisible  by  day." 

What  you  do,  and,  more  than  all,  what  you  are, 
to-day,  is  to  have  power  over  others,  or  in  others,  not 
only  to-day,  but  in  the  long-distant  future.  "  The 
teacher,"  says  Confucius,  "  is  a  pattern  for  ten  thou- 
sand ages."  The  chief  harvest  of  your  influence  may 
be  to-day ;  and  again  it  may  be  ten  thousand  ages 
hence — whatever  may  seem  to  be  your  failure  or  your 
success  to-day. 

"  Bead  we  not  the  mighty  thought 
Once  by  ancient  sages  taught  ? 

Though  it  withered  in  the  blight 

Of  the  mediaeval  night, 
Now  the  harvest  we  behold ; 
See !  it  bears  a  thousand-fold. 

"  If  God's  wisdom  has  decreed 
One  may  labor,  yet  the  seed 
Barely  in  this  life  shall  grow, 
Shall  the  sower  cease  to  sow  ? 
The  fairest  truth  may  yet  be  born 
On  the  resurrection  morn." 

A  single  added  illustration  may  tend  to  fix  more 
firmly  in  the  reader's  mind  the  importance  of  a 
teacher's  looking  well  to  the  nature  and  tendencies 
of  his  personal  influence — conscious  and  unconscious 
— in  view  of  the  unyielding  permanence  of  the  im- 


The  Springs  at  Vichy. 


281 


pressions  thereby  produced  in  the  scholar's  life  and 
character : — 

The  waters  of  the  mineral  springs  at  Vichy,  in 
France,  are  widely  known  for  their  tonic  and 
invigorating  qualities.  Thousands  of  health-seekers 
visit  these  springs  annually;  while  the  Vichy  waters 
and  their  imitations  find  a  ready  market  throughout 
the  world.  In  addition  to  its  health -giving  char- 
acter, the  water  of  some  of  these  springs  has  the 
power  of  petrifying,  or  coating  with  stone,  whatever 
is  for  any  considerable  time,  and  steadily,  subjected 
to  its  action.  Although  the  water  itself  is  colorless 
and  comparatively  clear  and  free  from  sediment,  it 
slowly  precipitates  its  mineral  components,  which 
solidify  on  the  surface  where  they  fall,  and  form,  as 
it  were,  a  covering  of  unyielding  rock.  This  pecu- 
liarity of  the  Vichy  water  is  improved  for  the  manu- 
facture of  ornamental  petrifactions  in  great  variety, 
and  the  preparation  and  sale  of  these  trinkets  is 
quite  a  business  in  the  vicinity  of  the  springs. 

A  prepared  model,  or  pattern,  is  set  where  the 
spring-water  can  trickle  steadily  upon  it,  and  there 
it  is  permitted  to  remain  day  after  day.  The  water 
is  limpid.  Its  flow  is  free.  It  merely  passes  over 
the  pattern  as  if  to  wash  it.  It  touches  it  and  is 
gone.  But,  in  passing,  the  water  deposits,  atom  by 
atom,  from  its  substance  and  possessions,  that  which 
hardens  on  the  model  below  until  that  model  is 
reproduced,  or  encased,  all  parts  alike,  in  stone.  If 


PART  II. 

'Ihe 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Coated  with 
stone. 


Following 
copy. 


282 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 
and  Using 
Influence. 


Like  makes 
like. 


What  is  the 
pattern  ? 


the  pattern,  in  wood  or  metal  or  glass,  is  a  cross,  the 
deposit  on  it  forms  accordingly,  and  it  is  taken  out  as 
a  cross  of  stone.  If  a  plaster  copy  of  an  elaborately 
wrought  piece  of  carving  or  sculpture  is  the  pattern, 
the  result  -is  a  similar  work  in  stone ;  each  figure 
and  outline  of  the  copy  being  so  covered  with  the 
mineral  deposit  that  it  becomes  a  stone  reproduction 
of  the  original  carving  or  sculpture.  So,  under  the 
running  water  at  the  springs  at  Vichy  grow  forms 
of  beauty  in  enduring  rock,  just  according  to  the 
patterns  placed  there. 

Nor  is  it  alone  at  Vichy  that  the  inflowing  stream 
shapes  itself  in  stone  by  the  models  over  which  it 
passes.  The  same  process  goes  on  continually  in 
the  sphere  of  every  Sunday-school  teacher.  The 
current  of  his  influence  may  seem  colorless  and 
inoperative.  It  may  pass  on  so  quietly  over  his 
scholar's  mind  that  it  seems  likely  to  leave  no  im- 
pression there.  Yet  it  surely  deposits,  atom  by 
atom,  from  its  substance  and  possessions,  that  which 
hardens  into  stone  on  the  scholar's  inner  life,  in 
conformity  with  the  patterns  which  the  teacher  has 
selected,  or  which  he  has  unconsciously  presented  to 
the  scholar's  mind.  Every  act,  every  word,  every 
thought  of  tte  teacher  which  enters  into  the  stream 
of  his  personal  character  and  influence  contributes 
its  mite  to  the  forming  rock  in  his  scholar's  heart 
and  soul.  The  teacher  selects  and  places  the  model 
by  which  this  rock  is  shaped.  The  seemingly  unim- 


The  Perfect  Pattern. 


283 


portant  trickling  of  the  minor  streams  of  personal 
influence  does  the  rest.  The  enduring  stone  shall 
show  what  was  the  teacher's  model.  Happy  is  that 
teacher  whose  life  and  character  are  so  conformed 
to  the  only  perfect  Pattern,  that  he  can  say  in  con- 
fidence to  his  scholars,  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  Be 
ye  followers  of  me,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ," 
until  ye  "  are  transformed  into  the  same  image  from 
glory  to  glory,  even  as  from  the  Lord  the  Spirit." 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  I. 

Having 

and  Using 

Influence. 


His  image. 


284 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II . 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Unloving 
aud  unloved, 


n. 

LOVING,  AND  WINNING  LOVE. 

What  Love  Is ;  No  Power  Like  Love ;  Love  in  a  Garret ;  Every  Man 
Has  a  Heart ;  Love  as  a  Duty ;  Instances  of  Love ;  All  Can 
Love;  Christ's  Image  Reproduced  in  Love. 

"LoviNG"  one's  scholars,  and  "influencing"  one's 
scholars,  are  by  no  means  identical;  although  the 
two  things  very  often  go  together.  A  teacher  who 
loves  his  scholars  and  who  is  loved  by  his  scholars  is 
pretty  sure  to  influence  his  scholars ;  but  a  teacher 
may  influence  his  scholars  without  either  loving  them 
or  being  loved  by  them.  A  teacher  may  have  and 
exert  an  influence  by  the  purity  of  his  life,  by  the 
strength  of  his  character,  by  the  positiveness  of  his 
convictions,  by  the  earnestness  of  his  nature,  by  the 
persuasiveness  of  his  words  and  manner,  and  yet  be 
unloving  and  unloved  as  a  teacher.  But  loving  is  as 
clearly  a  duty  as  influencing,  on  the  part  of  a  Sun- 
day-school teacher.  Loving  and  winning  are  an 
inseparable  portion  of  the  obligations  resting  on 
every  disciple  of  Christ,  who  goes  in  the  name  of 
Christ  to  those  for  whom  Christ  died. 


Love  as  a  Duty. 


285 


Love,  be  it  understood, — the  love  which  is  here 
spoken  of, — is  not  a  matter  of  emotion ;  it  is  not  a 
drawing  of  the  affections  in  strong  feeling  toward 
one  who  is  in  himself  attractive.  If  it  were  that 
which  were  looked  upon  as,  in  all  cases,  a  duty,  there 
would  indeed  seem  to  be  insuperable  obstacles  to 
its  uniform  exercise ;  and  its  very  existence  might 
fairly  be  counted  beyond  the  scope  of  the  teacher's 
will.  The  love  which  is  a  duty,  is  a  recognition  of 
every  child  as  a  fellow-creature,  a  fellow  immortal 
with  ourselves,  a  personal  object  of  the  love  of  God, 
and  one  who  is  dear  to  Jesus  our  Saviour.  It  in- 
volves a  recognition  of  the  peculiar  needs  of  that 
one  whom  Jesus  loves,  and  whom  he  asks  us  to  care 
for  for  his  sake.  Such  a  recognition  in  its  fullness 
will  inevitably  bring  us  to  a  sense  of  tender  interest 
in  the  condition  of  him  who  represents  so  much;  it 
cannot  but  create  in  us  a  desire  to  be  of  service  to 
this  possessor  of  an  immortal  soul  for  whom  Jesus 
died ;  and  that  desire  will  be  sure  to  show  itself  in 
all  that  we  say  or  do,  in  our  intercourse  with  that 
personality. 

Love  is,  after  all,  the  chief  attraction  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. It  is  the  only  power  which  reaches 
every  "scholar  alike.  Every  heart  is  human,  and 
every  human  heart  is  open  to  the  influence  of  genu- 
ine sympathy  and  affection.  There  are  those  who 
can  be  attracted  to  a  Sunday-school  by  its  showy 
appointments,  its  spacious  rooms,  its  furnishing  and 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


What  love 
involves. 


The  chief 
power. 


286 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Every  one 
loves  to  be 
loved. 


A  new 

convert. 


adornments.  Others  are  won  by  its  fine  singing,  or 
by  its  library  and  its  picture-papers.  Yet  others 
enjoy  its  companionships,  and  the  anticipation  of  its 
festivals  and  picnics.  Some,  it  may  be,  think  more 
of  the  instruction  they  receive  there,  and  of  the  gain 
to  their  minds  and  hearts  as  Bible  students.  But  no 
one  of  these  attractions  is  alike  for  all.  There  are 
those  who  care  nothing  for  singing,  and  who  lack 
good  taste  and  an  appreciation  of  the  beautiful. 
Many  have  no  interest  in  books  and  papers,  and 
many  more  have  no  enjoyment  in  mere  Bible  study. 
But  every  one  loves  to  be  loved,  and  finds  pleasure 
in  being  where  the  very  atmosphere  of  the  place  is 
redolent  with  sympathy  and  affection.  That  Sun- 
day-school where  love  is  most  prominent — most 
apparent  in  desk  and  class — is  surest  of  being  always 
attractive,  always  potent  for  good  to  its  scholars. 

My  earliest  experience  in  the  mission-school  work 
gave  me  a  lesson  on  this  point  which  I  have  never 
forgotten.  While  I  was  yet  a  new  comer  into  the 
fold  of  Christ,  my  heart  brimming  and  burning  with 
love  for  Him  who  loved  me,  and  I  desirous  of  show- 
ing that  love  in  any  way  in  my  power,  I  was  asked 
to  have  a  part  in  a  mission-school  movement  just  be- 
ginning in  a  needy  portion  of  our  city,  and  I  gladly 
assented.  Finding  my  way  to  the  place  designated, 
on  a  Sunday  noon,  I  groped  along,  up  rickety  stair- 
cases, and  through  dark  passage-ways,  dimly  lighted 
by  burning  candles  at  mid-day,  in  a  dilapidated  pile 


Love  in  a  Garret. 


287 


of  old  buildings  near  the  river  bank ;  and  there,  in  a 
room  just  under  the  roof,  I  found  a  few  teachers  and 
less  than  a  score  of  ragged  boys  and  girls  from  the 
more  wretched  homes  of  the  wretched  neighbor- 
hood. There  was  certainly  nothing  in  the  room 
itself  which  was  attractive,  and  this  was  before  the 
days  of  modern  Sunday-school  singing,  or  modern 
Sunday-school  appliances  generally.  Apart  from 
the  heart  attractions  of  the  work  undertaken  there, 
what  could  win  or  hold  such  boys  and  girls  as  had 
already  begun  to  gather  there  ? 

As  I  sat  in  that  garret-room,  looking  about  me 
with  curious  interest,  on  my  first  visit  there,  I 
noticed  one  little  fellow  all  by  himself  in  a  corner, 
more  wretched-looking,  if  possible,  than  any  other 
there.  He  was  in  rags.  His  appearance  wras  most 
uncleanly.  His  face  was  badly  swollen,  as  if  from  a 
tooth-ache ;  and,  as  he  caught  my  attention,  he  was 
clumsily  trying  to  re-adjust  a  coarse  and  dirty  cloth, 
which  had  been  tied  as  a  bandage  about  his  face, 
but  which  was  slipping  from  its  place.  Touched 
with  a  sense  of  his  wretchedness,  I  stepped  across 
the  room,  and,  taking  the  bandage  from  his  hands, 
with  a  kindly  word  to  him,  I  re-folded  it  as  best  I 
could,  and,  passing  it  around  his  cheeks,  I  tied  it 
securely  above  his  head.  As,  with  another  expres- 
sion of  sympathy  with  the  little  fellow,  I  took  away 
rny  hands  from  his  head,  he  turned  his  face  up  to 
mine  with  a  look  I  shall  never  forget.  It  was  a  look 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


A  dreary 
spot. 


Won  by  a 
look.  " 


288 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Open, 
Sesame  I 


A  new  life. 


of  wonderment  and  of  grateful  joy  commingled,  as 
if  out  of  an  utterly  new  experience  in  his  young  life. 
It  seemed  to  speak  his  unfeigned  surprise  that  any 
one  should  have  such  a  regard  for  him,  or  should  lay 
hands  on  him  except  in  violence  or  harshness.  It 
seemed  to  say  that  he  had  already  learned  to  shrink 
and  groan  and  suifer ;  but  that  never  before  had  he 
known  what  it  was  to  be  loved.  That  look  taught 
me  the  "Open,  Sesame!"  of  the  outcast's  heart. 
It  showed  me  that  I  could  win  love  by  showing 
love ;  that  I  could  do  a  work  for  Christ  by  eviden- 
cing the  spirit  of  Christ  in  never  so  faint  a  degree. 
That  look  won  my  life  to  the  Sunday-school  work. 

That  boy  proved  to  be  the  son  of  a  wandering 
scissors-grinder.  He  had  really  never  known  what 
a  home  wTas.  Within  a  few  weeks  from  the  hour  I 
first  met  him,  both  his  parents  were  dead.  That 
mission-school  was  the  means  of  his  rescue.  First 
taken  from  it  into  an  orphan  asylum,  he  was  after- 
ward he'lped  to  a  place  of  honorable  employment. 
Then  he  became  a  faithful  soldier  of  his  country. 
After  that  he  was  a  consistent  Christian  worker. 
His  first  experience  of  Christian  love  was  not  his 
last.  He  lived  to  exemplify  the  power  of  love  on 
himself,  and  in  himself,  and  through  himself;  and  so 
far  he  is  a  lesson  to  every  one  who  would  get  good 
or  do  good  in  the  Sunday-school  field. 

It  is  not  alone  the  poor  outcast  who  feels  the  power 
of  love,  who  is  won  by  love,  and  who  is  glad  and 


The  Pre-eminence  of  Love. 


289 


grateful  when  he  finds  that  he  is  loved.  No  child 
living  is  ahove  being  loved.  Children  who  have  love 
at  home,  appreciate  it  none  the  less  when  they  feel 
its  force  and  are  swayed  by  its  influence  in  the 
Sunday-school*.  Love  can  reach  all.  "  Aim  at  the 
heart,  in  your  preaching,"  said  an  experienced 
preacher,  in  addressing  a  class  of  graduating  divinity 
students.  "  Not  every  man  has  a  head,  but  every 
man  has  a  heart.  If  you  aim  at  the  head,  you  will 
miss  some  of  your  hearers.  If  you  aim  at  the  heart, 
you  will  hit  them  all.  Aim  at  the  heart."  And 
that  is  as  good  counsel  for  the  Sunday-school  teacher 
as  it  is  for  the  preacher.  Unless  a  Sunday-school 
teacher  has  love  and  shows  love,  in  his  work  for  his 
scholars,  he  lacks  one  thing  without  which  all  else 
must  go  for  naught.  Though  he  speaks  with  the 
tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  though  he  has  the  gift 
of  prophecy,  though  he  understands  all  knowledge 
and  all  mysteries,  though  he  gives  of  his  goods  to 
feed  the  poor,  and  though  he  has  all  faith  so  that  he 
could  remove  mountains,  and  yet  has  not  love, — that 
love  which  suffer eth  long  and  is  kind,  which  beareth 
all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things, 
endureth  all  things, — he  is  nothing  as  a  true  and 
efficient  Sunday-school  teacher. 

The  true  measure  of  a  Sunday-school  teacher's 
personal  power  over  his  scholars  is  found  in  his  love 
for  them,  and  in  their  love  for  him ;  for  love  begets 
love,  and  he  who  loves  truly  is  truly  loved.  I  once 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Aim  at  the 
heart. 


Love  begets 
love. 


290 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


A  life  for  a 
life. 


Love  can  be 
won. 


knew  a  Sunday-school  which  was  influential  beyond 
all  the  Sunday-schools  about  it,  and  I  was  puzzled 
for  the  secret  of  its  success.  Its  superintendent  was 
a  man  not  well  furnished  intellectually  for  such  a 
work  as  he  was  carrying  forward;*  moreover,  he 
lacked  any  special  fitness  in  his  personal  magnetism, 
or  in  his  administrative  qualities,  or  in  his  skill  and 
tact  as  a  worker;  yet  old  and  young  in  the  com- 
munity gathered  in  large  numbers  in  his  Sunday- 
school,  and  were  kept  there,  year  after  year.  It  was 
a  rarely  successful  school,  while  without  any  seeming 
reason  for  its  great  success.  I  asked  that  superin- 
tendent's pastor  if  he  could  tell  me  what  was  that 
man's  powder.  "  I  don't  know  that  I  can  answer  you 
any  better,"  said  the  pastor,  u  than  by  saying  that  a 
member  of  my  church  said,  not  long  ago,  '  There 
are  fifty  men  in  this  town  who  would  die  for  that 
superintendent.' '  There  was  the  source  of  that 
superintendent's  power.  He  was,  like  Daniel,  a 
u  man  greatly  beloved."  He  was  loved  because  he 
was  loving.  His  love  for  all  drew  the  love  of  all  to 
him;  and  that  was  reason  enough  why  his  Sunday- 
school  should  be  a  power  in  his  community. 

Every  teacher  can  love  his  scholars,  and  by  loving 
his  scholars  every  teacher  can  win  the  love  of  his 
scholars;  hence,  as  it  is  a  duty  of  every  teacher  to 
love  those  whom  God  commits  to  his  charge,  it  is 
every  teacher's  duty  to  be  loved  by  the  scholars  of 
his  charge.  Many  a  teacher  is  loved  very  dearly; 


The  Duty  of  Being  Loved. 


291 


every  teacher  ought  to  be.  "Don't  you  think  my 
teacher  is  the  best  teacher  that  ever  lived?"  asked 
a  scholar  in  that  Hartford  mission-school  of  which 
I  have  already  spoken.  And  when  a  teacher  was 
taken  out  of  that  very  school  by  death,  the  heartiest 
tribute  that  was  paid  to  his  power  as  a  teacher  was 
the  ejaculation  of  one  of  the  boys  in  his  class :  "  I 
tell  you,  he  did  love  the  boys."  And,  again,  when 
one  of  the  scholars  out  of  that  school  was  told,  in 
her  home  of  poverty,  that  she  had  but  a  little  while 
to  live,  she  said,  in  tender  thoughtfulness:  "Mother, 
don't  tell  my  teacher  I  am  dead;  for  it  will  break 
her  heart  to  know  it."  And  as  those  scholars  mag- 
nified their  teacher's  love  for  them,  so  every  scholar 
ought  to  have  reason  to  magnify  the  love  of  his 
teacher  for  him. 

Some  years  ago,  I  was  looking  along  a  street  in 
Lowell,  Massachusetts,  on  a  snowy  Saturday  even- 
ing, for  the  home  of  a  good  superintendent  with 
whom  I  was  to  pass  the  Sabbath.  Not  being  sure 
of  the  house,  I  stopped  a  thinly  clad  little  girl,  who 
was  passing,  and  pointing  to  the  house  which  I 
thought  was  the  one  sought  for,  I  asked :  "  Do  you 
know,  does  Deacon  Chase  live  in  this  house  ?  "  "I 
don't  know  if  it's  Deacon  Chase,"  was  the  little 
girl's  prompt  reply ;  "but  the  man  who  lives  there 
is  named  Chase,  and  he's  got  white  'hair,  and  he 
loves  little  children."  Ah !  that  was  a  description 
which  every  Sunday-school  worker  might  long  for, 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Proofs  of 
love. 


How  she 
knew  him. 


292 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
-Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winnii  g 

Love. 


True 
Friends. 


Following 
the  superin- 
Jende'at. 


whether  his  hair  is  white,  or  black,  or  brown.  And 
when  a  man  can  be  said  by  all  to  love  little  children, 
he  will  be  loved  by  little  children.  I  knew  a  Sun- 
day-school in  Philadelphia  where  was  no  singing,  no 
instrumental  music,  no  audible  prayer,  no  orna- 
mented walls,  no  room-adornments;  but  where  love 
was,  as  it  were,  all  in  all  to  the  scholars.  It  was  a 
First-day  School  of  the  Friends,  and  the  superin- 
tendent and  every  teacher  were  counted  as  loved 
friends  by  all  their  scholars.  In  one  of  the  homes 
represented  in  that  school  a  mother  died,  and  her 
little  son  was  well-nigh  broken-hearted  in  a  sense  of 
his  loss.  But  as  he  thought  of  the  love  and  the 
sympathy  he  had  lost,  he  turned  in  his  longing  to 
the  love  and  sympathy  which  were  left  to  him,  and 
he  said,  through  his  tears  :  "  Well,  I've  got  Mr. 
Baily's  Sunday-school  to  go  to,  haven't  I,  papa  ?  " 
And  there  was  help  to  him  in  that  thought.  I  knew 
another  Sunday-school,  in  Connecticut,  where  were 
all  the  attractions  of  singing,  and  books,  and  pic- 
tures, and  of  a  bright  and  well-furnished  room,  but 
where  love,  again,  was  the  chief  attraction,  even  if 
it  did  not  seem  to  be  all  in  all.  The  loved  superin- 
tendent died  out  of  that  school,  and  it  seemed  as  if 
every  scholar's  heart  would  break  under  a  crushing 
sense  of  personal  loss.  A  few  weeks  later  a  little 
German  scholar  of  that  school  was  called  to  die. 
When  told  that  there  was  no  hope  of  her  recovery, 
her  heart  went  out  afresh  in  love  toward  her  remem- 


An  Attainment  for  All. 


293 


bered  superintendent,  and  her  face  brightened  up  as 
she  responded :  "  Then  I  shall  be  the  first  scholar 
from  our  school  to  meet  Mr.  Preston  in  heaven." 
Heaven  itself  was  more  attractive  to  that  child,  be- 
cause of  her  loved  superintendent's  presence  there. 
Nor  was  he  alone,  as  a  representative  of  Jesus,  in 
winning  hearts  heavenward  by  manifesting  the  love 
of  Jesus.  "Love  is  strong  as  death.  .  .  .  Many 
waters  cannot  quench  love,  neither  can  the  floods 
drown  it." 

There  is  an  encouragement  in  this  thought,  of  the 
power  of  love,  in  the  work  of  the  Sunday-school 
teacher.  Not  all  teachers  have,  or  can  have,  every 
qualification  for  the  teacher's  work;  but  every 
teacher  can  love  and  can  be  loved.  You  may  not 
be  able  to  become  expert  as  a  "  teacher,"  gaining  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  your  lessons,  of  your  scholars, 
and  of  wise  methods  of  teaching;  having  power  in 
holding  your  scholars'  intelligent  attention,  in  making 
clear  what  you  would  teach,  and  in  securing  the  co- 
work  of  your  scholars  in  the  teaching  process.  You 
may  lack  skill  in  questioning,  in  illustrating,  and  in 
reviewing.  All  this  lack  may  be  regretted  by  you ; 
but  if  you  are  possessed  with  love  for  Christ,  and 
with  love  for  souls  for  Christ's  sake,  you  will  have 
power  with  your  scholars  in  behalf  of  Christ.  In 
the  work  of  winning  scholars  to  Christ,  there  are 
many  agencies  and  helps;  "and  the  greatest  of  these 
is  love."  The  story  has  been  told,  of  a  young 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Strong  as 
death. 


You  can  be 
loving. 


294 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other \Vork. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


Her  special 
way. 


A  class- 
reunion. 


woman  teacher  in  an  English  Sunday-school  who 
had  rare  success  in  winning  her  scholars  to  the 
Saviour.  So  uniform  was  this  success,  that  it  came 
to  be  taken  for  granted  that  a  scholar  who  entered 
her  class  would  be  brought  to  Christ ;  and  her  super- 
intendent asked  her,  at  one  time,  what  was  her 
special  way  with  her  scholars,  which  had  such  po- 
tency. "I  don't  know  of  any  special  way  of  mine," 
she  answered.  "  I  only  know  that  I  can  never  look 
upon  a  scholar  without  the  thought,  There  is  one 
for  whose  soul  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  was  shed ; 
and  I  cannot  count  anything  too  much  to  be  done 
for  that  soul.  I  cannot  rest  satisfied  till  that  one 
whom  Jesus  loves,  loves  Jesus."  "Where  there  is 
such  love  as  this  there  is  likely  to  be  such  a  result 
as  this,  such  a  record  as  this — according  to  the 
teacher's  loving  faith. 

Indeed,  the  love  of  Christ  is  often  first  recognized 
by  a  scholar  as  it  is  evidenced  and  exhibited  in  the 
Christ-like  love  of  a  teacher.  A  striking  illustration 
of  this  truth  was  given  in  a  reminiscence  of  a  class- 
reunion  in  Yale  College,  as  related  by  a  speaker  at  a 
Sunday-school  convention  held  under  the  shadow  of 
the  walls  of  that  college.  "  It  is  usual,"  he  said, 
"  as  is  perhaps  known  to  many  or  all  before  me,  for 
classes  which  have  been  graduated  at  this  honored 
university  to  meet  at  certain  intervals  after  gradua- 
tion, and  renew  the  memories  of  college  life.  On 
such  an  occasion,  after  an  absence  of  thirty  years 


Christ  Reproduced. 


295 


from  the  university,  a  class  was  gathered  in  yonder 
hotel.  They  had  taken  their  seats  at  their  supper- 
table,  when  a  knock  was  heard  at  the  door,  and  an 
elderly  man  entered  the  room;  his  head  was  gray 
with  silvery  sprinklings,  his  form  was  bent,  and  his 
features  were  wrinkled,  doubtless  with  care  rather 
than  by  the  bruisings  of  years ;  for  his  eye  still  flashed 
the  fire  of  youth.  He  called  many  of  those  present 
by  name,  and  all  he  addressed  as  classmates.  But  of 
the  twenty-five  there  gathered  not  one  knew  him,  so 
thoroughly  had  he  become  changed.  He  had  been 
separated  from  his  country  and  friends,  in  search  of 
health,  through  most  of  the  thirty  long  years  then 
just  passed,  and  in  those  thirty  years  the  line  of  his 
life  had  crossed  that  of  none  of  his  classmates.  A 
tear  moistened  his  eye  as  he  stood  there ;  for  he  felt 
that  '  he  had  come  unto  his  own  and  his  own  received 
him  not.'  At  last,  refusing  to  give  his  name,  he 
stepped  into  the  adjoining  room,  and  led  in  his  son, 
a  fine  young  man  of  eighteen  years.  Scarcely  had 
the  son  appeared,  when  the  voices  of  all  uttered  the 
name  of  their  now  remembered  classmate,  so  per- 
fectly did  the  features  of  the  young  man  reflect  the 
youth  of  his  father."  And,  similarly,  many  a  scholar 
who  fails  to  recognize  the  love  of  Jesus  as  it  is  told 
of  in  his  "Word,  will  see  it,  and  rejoice  in  it,  and  be 
won  to  it,  when  it  is  shown  reproduced  in  its  living 
beauty,  in  the  character  of  a  loving  teacher. 
"  In  that  day,"  says  Jesus,  to  those  who  thus  repre- 


PART  II 

The 

Teacher'i 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


The  father  in 
the  son* 


296 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  II. 

Loving,  and 

Winning 

Love. 


I  in  you. 


sent  him  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  who  dwells  in 
the  heart  of  the  believer  in  Jesus — "  in  that  day,  ye 
shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me, 
and  I  in  you."  And  in  that  day  those  who  love  you, 
and  who  are  loved  by  you,  shall  know  that  Christ  is 
in  you,  and  you  shall  have  power  to  win  them  to  his 
love — as  it  is  evidenced  and  illustrated  in  your  love. 
And  this  power  is  the  duty  and  the  privilege  of 
every  believing  teacher. 


Spirit  and  Work. 


297 


m. 

MANAGING  SCHOLARS   WHILE  PRESENT. 

Practical  Details  to  be  Considered;  What  Managing  Means ;  Gain 
of  a  Great  Need;  A  Troublesome  Class;  A  Teacher1 's  Sufficiency ; 
Testing  the  Teacher;  Preparation  Needful;  At  the  Teacher's 
Home ;  A  Word  in  the  Ear ;  Specimen  Scholars ;  A  Class  as  a 
Class;  A  Teacher's  Helpers;  Having  What  You  Want;  A  Slow 
Work ;  The  Bronze  Finishers, 

AFTER  all  that  can  be  said — and  properly  said — of 
the  importance  and  practical  value  of  influence  and 
of  affection  in  the  sphere  of  a  Sunday-school  teacher's 
work,  it  must  be  admitted  that  both  influence  and 
affection  are  in  the  atmosphere  and  in  the  spirit  of 
the  teacher's  work,  rather  than  in  the  methods  and 
in  the  practical  details  of  that  work.  And  when 
both  atmosphere  and  spirit  are  all  that  they  should 
be,  the  methods  and  the  practical  details  of  the  work 
in  this  realm  are  not  to  be  overlooked  or  under- 
valued. The  teacher  whose  character  is  most  Christ- 
like,  and  whose  heart  is  overflowing  with  Christian 
love,  coming  face  to  face  with  a  class  of  untrained 
and  mischievous  scholars  in  the  Sunday-school ,  finds 
that  there  is  a  severe  and  rugged  reality  of  difficul- 


PAKT  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Something 
practical. 


298 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Now,  what? 


A  riding- 
school. 


ties  to  be  encountered,  and  of  obstacles  to  be  over- 
come, in  the  management  and  control  of  those 
scholars,  which  cannot  be  met  by  any  purpose,  how- 
ever sincere,  or  however  well  carried  out,  of  recog- 
nizing the  importance  and  potency  of  one's  personal 
influence,  conscious  and  unconscious,  and  of  loving 
and  being  loved  as  a  teacher.  Here  are  these 
scholars  to  be  cared  for.  How  can  they  be  so  man- 
aged as  to  bring  them  under  influence  and  instruc- 
tion, and  as  to  show  love  for  them  while  winning 
their  love  ?  This  is  a  question  which  has  to  be  met, 
and  now  is  the  time  to  meet  it. 

And,  at  the  start,  it  is  well  to  consider  the  fact, 
that  a  class  which  needs  managing  should  fairly  have  a 
certain  attractiveness  to  a  really  good  Sunday-school 
teacher,  above  any  class  which  is  under  no  necessity 
of  management;  that,  indeed,  a  class  can  be  said  to 
have  a  value  as  a  class  in  direct  proportion  to  its 
need  of  being  managed.  "  Manage "  is  primarily 
the  government  of  a  horse.  It  has  its  origin  in  the 
French  manege,  "  riding-school,"  "  horse-training," 
"  horsemanship."  Shakespeare  says : 

"  In  thy  faint  slumbers  I  by  thee  have  watched, 
And  heard  thee  murmur  tales  of  iron  wars ; 
Speak  terms  of  manage  to  thy  bounding  steed." 

A  horse  needs  managing,  needs  training,  needs  a 
firm  hand,  a  skilled  touch,  and  a  wise  discretion  in 
his  guidance  and  control,  just  in  proportion  to  his 


Worth  of  High  Spirit. 


299 


life  and  spirit  and  capabilities ;  and  both  his  attrac- 
tiveness and  his  market  value  rate  accordingly. 
There  are  horses  which  need  no  managing.  They 
have  no  spirit  which  requires  controlling.  They  can 
be  trusted  safely  in  a  milk-wagon,  or  a  garbage-cart, 
with  a  child  to  drive  them;  and  they  have  their  uses 
in  the  world.  But  they  are  not  of  that  sort  which  is 
described  in  the  Book  of  Job  : 

"  Hast  thou  given  the  horse  strength  ? 
Hast  thou  clothed  his  neck  with  thunder? 
Canst  thou  make  him  afraid  as  a  grasshopper? 
The  glory  of  his  nostrils  is  terrible; 
He  paweth  in  the  valley,  and  rejoiceth  in  his  strength ; 
He  goeth  out  to  meet  the  armed  men ; 
He  mocketh  at  fear  and  is  not  affrighted, 
Neither  turneth  he  back  from  the  sword." 

Such  a  horse  needs  managing.  So,  also,  does  the 
hunter,  or  the  carriage-horse,  of  high  spirit  and 
thorough  training,  which  is  the  pride  of  his  owner, 
or  which  is  the  delight  of  the  family  which  he  serves. 
Without  the  need  of  management,  there  is,  indeed, 
no  possibility  of  high  attainment  in  a  horse,  or  in 
any  other  creature  formed  for  service. 

It  is  not  that  there  is  )ao  worth  where  there  is  no 
restlessness  and  need  of 'close  control, — in  horses  or 
in  children, — but  it  is  that  there  are  added  advantages 
always  accompanying  these  characteristics,  in  animal 
life,  and  that  there  is  an  added  attractiveness  in  the 
possibility  of  securing  these  advantages.  Oysters 


300 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Oysters  and 
trout, 


High 
possibilities. 


and  brook  trout,  for  example,  are  both  very  well  in 
their  way  as  articles  of  diet ;  but  when  it  comes  to 
fishing  for  the  one  or  the  other  of  these  denizens  of 
the  water,  there  is  no  such  attractiveness  in  the  slow 
dead-lift  of  the  oysters,  from  their  sea-bed,  with  the 
sure  and  clumsy  oyster-tongs,  as  in  the  flashing  of 
the  fly,  cast  from  the  graceful  rod-tip,  in  the  effort  to 
hook  the  trout  in  his  shady  pool  under  the  forest 
trees,  and  in  the  adroit  endeavor  to  land  him  safely 
when  hooked.  Brook-trout  need  managing.  Oys- 
ters do  not.  There  are  Sunday-school  classes  which 
represent  the  oyster  element,  and  there  are  others 
which  are  as  lively  and  spirited  as  brook-trout. 
Again,  there  are  classes  which  represent  respectively, 
on  the  one  hand,  the  war-steed,  the  spirited  racer,  or 
the  blooded  carriage-horse;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
the  spiritless  treadmill  hack.  The  teachers  who 
have  classes  which  need  no  management  are  in  no 
need  of  counsel  on  this  subject.  If  they  think  tfeem- 
selves  entitled  to  congratulations,  it  would  be  un- 
generous not  to  gratify  their  expectations.  But 
there  are  many  teachers  whose  scholars  are  not 
altogether  like  oysters,  nor  yet  like  spiritless  hack- 
horses.  They  need  counsel  and  encouragement,  and 
they  are  entitled  to  congratulations  also;  for  their 
classes  have  higher  possibilities  than  classes  where 
there  is  less  need  of  management. 

In  other  words,  it  ought  to  be  a  real  comfort  to  a 
Sunday-school  teacher  to  have  scholars  who  pecu- 


Classes  Which  Differ. 


301 


liarly  require  managing,  and  who  peculiarly  lack  it ; 
who  have  had  no  good  teaching  at  home,  and  who 
seem  to  have  no  thought  of  any  responsibility  for  the 
preparation  of  their  lessons  out  of  the  Sunday-school 
hour,  or  for  their  quiet  conduct  during  it.  Scholars 
who  lack  all  life  and  spirit,  or,  again,  who  are  well 
taught  by  their  parents,  and  who  study  their  lessons 
faithfully,  could  almost  take  care  of  themselves. 
Teaching  them  in  the  Sunday-school  is,  in  a  sense, 
a  supplemental  work,  and  managing  them  is  quite 
unnecessary.  But  when  a  scholar  gets  all  his  man- 
aging and  all  his  teaching  in  the  Sunday-school,  and 
during  the  lesson-hour,  having  an  exceptional  need 
of  both  teaching  and  managing,  he  is  one  of  the  schol- 
ars worth  having  in  charge.  Sunday-school  teaching 
and  Sunday-school  managing  ought  to  amount  to 
something  in  his  case.  There  is  cause  of  encourage- 
ment to  teachers  who  have  such  scholars.  Instead 
of  repining  over  their  trying  lot,  they  have  reason  to 
rouse  themselves  to  the  exceptionally  good  work  to 
which  they  are  summoned  by  the  exceptional  need 
of  their  scholars.  It  is  to  teachers  of  this  sort  that 
these  words  of  counsel  are  now  addressed. 

That  there  are  scholars  in  the  Sunday-school  who 
require  managing,  and  that  there  are  teachers  who 
are  at  their  wits'  end  in  devising  expedients  for 
managing  such  scholars  successfully,  every  one  who 
has  had  wide  experience  in  the  Sunday-school  sphere 
is  well  aware.  A  good  illustration  of  the  sort  of 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Without 
need. 


With  need. 


302 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Olher  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

Scholars 

while 
Present. 


A  specimen 
class. 


scholars  referred  to,  may  be  found  in  a  picturesque 
description  of  a  veritable  class  put  into  the  care  of  a 
young  woman  teacher,  as  an  experiment,  not  long 
ago,  when  she  was  first  considering  the  question  of 
entering  the  Sunday-school  teacher's  sphere.  She 
had  been  a  scholar  in  that  school,  and  now  she  was 
asked  to  try  her  hand  as  a  teacher  there.  Writing 
to  me  for  counsel,  she  told  of  the  class  as  it  showed 
itself  to  her,  on  that  first  Sunday. 

"  Oh,  it  was  fearful !  "  she  wrote,  "  I  thought  that 
I  had  seen  boys  before,  bat  these  went  ahead  of  every 
experience  that  I  ever  had.  I'd  soon  have  straight- 
ened them  out  if  I  had  had  them  in  a  day-school ; 
but,  huddled  in  as  they  were,  I  was  helpless-  When 
they  were  bobbing  around,  it  seemed  as  though  there 
were  about  fifty  of  them,  but  I  think  there  were  about 
a  dozen.  They  paid  no  attention  whatever  to  me. 
I  gained  the  attention  of  the  whole  class  but  twice, 
and  then  only  about  two  seconds  at  a  time.  My  face 
began  to  redden.  Nearly  all  were  provided  with 
whistles,  and  they  used  them.  I  borrowed  one,  and 
was  immediately  assailed  with, '  That's  mine,  he  give 
it  to  me.'  'No,  he  didn't  either;  it's  mine,  he  give 
it  to  me.'  Then  they  put  hats  on  each  other's  heads. 
'Who  cut  your  hair?'  'My  father.'  'Who  cut 
yours  ? '  '  My  uncle  John.'  Forthwith  began  a 
scrimmage  to  see  whose  hair  was  the  shortest.  And 
they  pulled  hair,  till  I  wanted  to  pull  too,  or  sink 
through  the  floor.  The  superintendent  came  at  this 


A  Tried  Teacher. 


303 


juncture,  and  tried  to  help  them,  but  their  hair  was 
too  short.  They  insisted  that  we  had  to  pay  Christ 
money  to  save  us.  '  We  want  stories,  our  teacher 
used  to  tell  them  to  us,'  was  hurled  at  me.  '  Soon 
spitballs  began  to  fly  thick  and  fast.  Then  they  out 
with  their  pins ;  and  their  jumps,  and  jerks,  and 
'  He's  a-sticking  a  pin  into  me,'  and  'He's  a-stepping 
onto  me,'  and  '  He's  a-pulling  my  ear,'  '  my  hair,' 
etc.,  testified  to  their  unwearying  activity.  Two 
boys  tried  to  be  still,  and  various  were  the  attempts 
to  get  them  into  the  tumult.  One  boy,  who  had  a 
pin,  changed  seats  with,  I  think,  the  only  one  who 
hadn't,  and  slyly  slipped  a  pin  beneath  the  chair, 
and  up  through  the  cane-seat.  There  was  a  jump, 
and  a  hunting  for  a  pin  to  revenge  himself  with.  I 
made  the  boy  change  back  to  his  own  seat,  and  so 
quieted  the  boy  who  was  trying  to  be  quiet.  Then 
a  discussion  on  ages  began,  and  later  a  quarrel  over 
library  books.  'I'm  going  home  in  ten  minutes.' 
4  I'm  going  in  five.'  One  of  the  little  torments  began 
to  ask  if  I  would  not  teach  them  next  Sunday. 
*  Perhaps  we  will  behave  better,'  was  the  tempting 
bait  held  out.  Two  signals  on  the  bell  are  given  at 
the  close  of  the  school :  at  the  first,  they  all  jumped 
up,  and  turned  their  chairs  around.  I  remonstrated, 
and  all  the  satisfaction  that  I  got  was,  '  Eyery  one 
else  is,'  from  a  chorus  of  voices."  And  so  on  to  the 
end  of  the  school  session.  It  will  be  admitted  by 
all,  that  those  scholars  required  managing.  It  will 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Trying  to  b« 
quiet. 


304 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

Scholars 

while 

Present. 


Who  is  suffi- 
cient ? 


be  admitted  by  some,  that  those  scholars  were  not 
unlike  a  great  many  other  scholars  in  other  Sunday- 
schools — who  also  need  managing. 

Sitting  face  to  face  with  such  a  class  as  this,  recog- 
nizing the  intense  personality  of  each  one  of  these 
spirited,  restless  scholars,  and  perceiving  how  much 
needs  to  be  done  with  each  scholar  and  with  all,  in 
opposition  to  the  nature  and  the  habits  and  the  tastes 
and  purposes  of  each  arid  all,  the  best  skilled  teacher, 
with  the  most  loving  heart,  and  of  the  most  patient 
and  hopeful  spirit,  may  well  cry  out  in  anxiety,  if 
not  in  despair,  "Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?  " 
And  no  teacher  has  a  right  to  feel  sufficient  for,  and 
competent  to,  the  right  management  and  training  of 
scholars  like  these,  in  his  own  wisdom  and  strength. 
Here  it  is,  at  the  very  start,  that  a  teacher's  fitness  and 
competency  for  the  work  of  managing  scholars  in  the 
Sunday-school,  as  well  as  for  every  other  phase  of  the 
Sunday-school  teacher's  work,  are  dependent  upon 
and  are  to  be  measured  by  the  teacher's  faith  in  Him 
whom  he  represents,  whose  he  is,  and  before  whom 
he  stands.  u  Without  me  [or,  apart  from  me],  ye 
can  do  nothing,"  says  Jesus  to  his  best-loved  disci- 
pies.  And  there  is  no  place  where  the  disciple  of 
Jesus  has  more  reason  to  realize  the  fullness  of  this 
truth,  than  where  he  faces  his  responsibility  for  the 
souls  of  those  to  whom  he  has  been  sent  by  his 
Saviour  and  theirs. 

When  the  father  of  a  demon-possessed  child  came 


Power  through  Faith. 


305 


to  Jesus  in  behalf  of  the  loved  one,  whom  neither 
the  father  nor  yet  the  disciples  of  Jesus  had  been 
able  to  help,  his  cry  of  longing  was  :  "  If  thou  canst 
do  anything,  have  compassion  on  us,  and  help  us." 
The  teacher  of  those  scholars — who  would  seem 
little  else  than  demon-possessed — in  the  class  just 
described,  might  well  cry  out,  in  the  same  words  of 
longing, to  Jesus:  "If  thou  canst  do  anything, have 
compassion  on  us,  and  help  us."  The  prompt  and 
explicit  answer  of  Jesus  to  the  troubled  father  was 
— and  the  same  answer  would  apply  with  equal  force 
to  the  troubled  teacher — "  If  thou  canst !  All  things 
are  possible  to  him  that  believeth."  As  to  the  power 
of  Jesus  over  the  spirits  of  all,  there  need  be  no 
question  or  doubt.  The  only  question  is,  as  to  the 
one  who  asks  the  help  of  Jesus  in  behalf  of  those 
given  into  his  charge.  All  things  in  behalf  of  such 
objects  of  loving  responsibility,  are  possible  to  him 
who  has  trustful  faith  in  their  behalf. 

A  teacher  has  a  duty  to  feel  his  in  competency  and 
his  insufficiency,  in  and  of  himself,  as  he  faces  a 
responsibility  like  this.  On  the  other  hand,  he  has 
a  duty  to  rest  on  his  Saviour  for  wisdom,  for 
strength,  for  skill,  and  for  success  in  his  work. 
<k  Then  said  I,  Ah,  Lord  God !  behold  I  cannot  speak; 
for  I  am  a  child.  But  the  Lord  said  unto  me,  Say 
not,  I  am  a  child ;  for  thou  shalt  go  to  all  that  I 
shall  send  thee,  and  whatsoever  I  command*  thee 
thou  shalt  speak."  The  real  question  for  a  teacher 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Pre-ent. 


If  thou 

canst ! 


A  call  to 
trust. 


306 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Our  suffi- 
ciency. 


Faith  shown 
by  works. 


in  such  an  emergency  is  not,  Can  I  manage  these 
scholars  ?  but,  Can  Jesus  manage  them  ?  In  the 
face  of  that  question,  the  assurance  of  Jesus  to  the 
teachers  who  represent  him  before  their  classes,  is, 
"  According  to  your  faith,  be  it  unto  you;  "  and 
their  glad  assurance  then  may  be :  "  Not  that  we 
are  sufficient  of  ourselves,  to  account  anything  as 
from  ourselves;  but  our  sufficiency  is  from  God." 

But  when  a  teacher  has  sufficiency  from  God,  his 
work  is  not  yet  done  for  God.  He  who  can  do  all 
things  in  Christ  who  strengtheneth  him,  has  all 
things  to  do  in  his  sphere,  in  the  strength  of  Christ. 
To  have  faith  in  Christ's  ability,  and  in  Christ's 
readiness,  to  give  a  teacher  success  in  the  teacher's 
sphere,  is  not  to  shirk  work  in  that  sphere,  on  the 
score  of  faith,  but  it  is  to  be  ready  to  evidence  that 
faith  by  its  appropriate  workings  in  that  sphere. 
And  he  who  prayerfully  trusts  in  Christ  for  the  power 
to  manage  a  class  of  such  scholars  as  have  been 
described,  will  prove  his  faith  by  working  wisely  in 
the  direction  of  his  prayers  and  of  his  desires. 
Christ  might,  indeed,  as  when  on  the  stormy  waters 
in  the  darkness  of  that  Galilee  night,  speak  the  word 
of  power  to  the  turbulent  waves  of  disorder,  in  a  rest- 
less class,  saying  "  Peace,  be  still,"  and  bring  at  once 
a  great  calm  there.  But  if  he  were  to  do  that,  there 
would  be  nothing  for  the  teacher  to  do.  Christ  did 
it  once  to  show  that  it  was  within  his  power.  Now 
he  leaves  it  to  his  disciples,  in  a  storm  like  that, 


Hard  Work  for  All. 


307 


either  to  breast  the  waves  through  faith  and  to  survive 
unharmed  their  fiercest  lashings ;  or,  to  lull  those 
waves  into  smoothness,  immediately  ahout  their  little 
craft,  by  pouring  oil  on  the  troubled  waters,  and  so 
to  be  for  the  time  at  a  centre  of  rest  within  a  storrn- 
tossed  circumference.  Pouring  oil  on  the  waters,  in 
faith,  is  the  first  specific  duty  of  a  Sunday-school 
teacher,  in  a  class-storm  which  threatens  everything. 
Already,  in  this  volume,  under  the  heads,  "  How 
to  get  and  hold  your  scholars'  attention,"  and  "How 
to  secure  your  scholars7  co-work  in  lesson-teaching," 
various  methods  of  gaining  a  hold  on  your  scholars, 
and  of  training  them  into  ways  of  right  doing,  have 
been  suggested ;  and  these  methods  have  their  value 
in  the  whole  work  of  managing  a  class  wisely.  But 
it  ought  to  be  understood  by  every  teacher,  that  there 
is  no  royal  road  to  success  in  such  an  undertaking  as 
this ;  that  the  hardest  road  is  the  road  for  all.  All 
that  is  done  must  be  done  step  by  step,  slowly  and 
patiently,  as  well  as  in  faith  ;  and  that  which  is  need- 
ful in  one  case  is  likely  to  be  needful  in  every  case. 
That  teacher,  for  example,  who  pictured  so  graphi- 
cally her  hopeless  class  on  her  first  Sunday  at  teach- 
ing, ought  to  have  seen  that  the  very  difficulties 
which  confronted  her  at  that  time  were  difficulties 
which  have  a  place  in  the  very  nature  of  the  Sun- 
day-school teacher's  work.  It  is  said,  that  a  young 
cavalryman-recruit  in  war-time,  being  thrown  from 
his  untrained  horse,  gathered  himself  up  with  diffi- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


No  royal 
road  to 
success. 


308 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


A  soldier's 
duty. 


Testing  a 
new  hand. 


ultj,  and  protested  against  being  summoned  to  such 
unanticipated  dangers  as  he  was  now  experiencing. 
"I  enlisted  to  serve  my  country,"  he  said;  "  but  I 
didn't  enlist  to  break  horses."  And  he  made  a  very 
common  mistake,  in  that  way,  of  dividing  the  duties 
of  his  enlistment.  Managing  horses,  and  breaking 
them  into  management,  are  a  part  of  a  cavalryman's 
service.  Managing  scholars,  and  breaking  them  into 
management,  are  a  part  of  a  Sunday-school  teacher's 
service,  and  ought  to  be  accepted  by  every  faithful 
teacher  accordingly. 

It  may  be  said,  just  here,  that  many  a  class  shows 
itself  at  its  worst,  when  a  new  teacher  first  attempts 
the  charge  of  it.  Just  as  a  spirited  horse  has  added 
restlessness,  and  even,  sometimes,  shows  an  unusual 
viciousness,  when  a  new  hand  is  at  its  bridle,  or  at 
its  driving-lines,  so  a  spirited  and  mischievous  scholar 
often  gives  a  new  teacher  all  the  trouble  he  can,  as 
if  to  test  the  teacher's  mettle  and  spirit  and  power. 
In  my  old  mission-school,  of  which  I  have  several 
times  spoken,  a  faithful  teacher  had  fairly  brought 
a  troublesome  class  into  management.  But,  one  Sun- 
day, that  teacher  was  sick,  and  in  his  stead  he  sent  a 
friend  to  teach  bis  class.  The  new  comer  had  much 
such  an  experience  as  that  of  the  teacher  who  has 
told  us  of  her  first  Sunday's  bewilderment.  Seeing 
his  helplessness,  I  went  to  the  teacher's  aid.  Finding 
that  other  inducements  failed  with  the  scholars,  I 
appealed  to  their  regard  for  their  own  teacher,  whom 


Self -Management  a  Duty. N 


309 


they  really  loved ,  and  I  reminded  them  IIOAV  troubled 
he  would  he  on  learning  that  they  had  so  misused  the 
friend  whom  he  had  sent  from  his  bedside  to  take  his 
place  during  his  sickness.  That  was  a  fresh  view  of 
the  case  to  the  scholars,  and  it  had  its  influence  with 
them.  "All  right,"  spoke  up  one  of  the  restless 
young  leaders;  " let  him  go  it.  We'll  try  him.  But," 
added  the  little  fellow,  as  if  in  explanation  of  the  real 
issue  involved,  "  he  must  train  us  [pointing  to  the 
new-comer]  ;  our  teacher  did."  It  was  evident  that 
these  scholars  had  the  feeling,  that  it  was  hardly 
right  for  this  man  to  enter  into  the  labors  of  the  other 
without  proving  himself  worthy  of  the  place. 

In  other  words,  it  is  not  the  scholars  alone  who 
are  on  trial  in  such  a  class.  The  teacher  is  "  in  the 
balances."  If  the  teacher  cannot  manage  his  scholars, 
is  he  able  to  manage  himself?  If,  indeed,  he  loses 
his  temper,  or  shows  an  impatient  or  an  unloving 
spirit,  while  thus  on  trial,  he  loses  his  hope  of  being 
a  success  as  a  teacher  of  that  class.  Class-manage- 
ment is  an  impossibility  to  one  who  is  not  capable 
of  self-management.  Having  faith  in  God  and  hav- 
ing control  of  one's  self  are  pre-requisites  to  all  suc- 
cessful endeavor  at  managing  the  scholars  of  one's 
charge — in  any  class  that  calls  for  management. 

As  in  every  other  sphere  of  the  teacher's  work,  so 
in  that  of  class-management,  the  ability  to  do  involves 
a  previous  preparation  for  doing.  A  teacher  must 
not  expect  to  be  able  at  once  to  command  peace, 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

Scholars 

while 

Present. 


"  We'll  try 
him." 


In  the 
balances, 


310 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


A  lesson 
from  Karey. 


Asking  them 
home. 


even  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  to  secure  it  without 
patient  endeavor  in  the  line  of  a  well-considered  plan 
of  wise-doing.  Nor  can  he  hope  to  reach  all  of  his 
scholars  individually,  so  as  to  get  them  under  his 
personal  control,  there  in  the  school-room,  at  the  very 
time  they  are  all  engaged  in  the  effort  to  test  him, 
and  to  prove  their  own  wilfulness.  Outside-work  is 
essential  to  the  success  of  inside-work.  This  must 
be  so,  in  the  very  nature  of  things.  Rarey,  who  had 
a  world- wide  reputation  as  a  famous  horse-trainer, 
as  a  manager  of  spirited  and  of  vicious  horses,  always 
wanted  to  have  a  private  word  in  the  ear  of  the  horse 
he  would  bring  under  control,  as  preliminary  to  its 
public  managing.  A  spirited  boy  needs  this  private 
word  in  the  ear,  as  much  as  a  spirited  horse ;  and  a 
good  Sunday-school  teacher  can  make  as  effective  a 
use  of  such  a  word  as  the  most  skillful  horse-trainer. 
A  good  opening  for  the  private  personal  word,  with 
the  individual  scholars,  severally,  is  often  secured  by 
a  gathering  of  the  class  at  the  home  of  the  teacher* 
whereby  another  relation  is  established  between 
teacher  and  scholars,  than  the  perfunctory  relation 
of  the  school-room.  A  teacher  of  my  acquaintance 
was  put  in  charge  of  a  new  class  in  the  Sunday-school, 
hardly  less  spirited  and  troublesome  than  those 
already  described  in  their  restless  pranks.  The  boys 
were  full  of  mischief,  and  they  showed  it  in  Sunday- 
school.  The  teacher  saw  that  his  hopeful  beginning 
must  be  somewhere  else  than  there,  so  he  planned 


A  Class  in  Training. 


311 


for  it  at  once.  On  the  first  Sunday  he  said  to  his 
scholars,  at  the  close  of  the  lesson-hour  :  "  Boys,  I 
see  that  you  like  sport.  Well,  I  enjoy  a  good  time 
as  well  as  any  of  you,  in  the  proper  place.  Now  if 
you  will  all  come  to  my  house  next  Friday  evening, 
at  seven  o'clock,  we  will  have  a  good  time  together." 
That  invitation  was  promptly  accepted ;  and  on  Fri- 
day evening  the  boys  came  as  invited.  They  were 
all  waiting  at  the  teacher's  door  for  the  clock  to 
strike  seven,  and  they  were  prompt  to  ring  the  door- 
bell when  the  hour  had  arrived.  Then  the  teacher 
did  his  best  to  make  a  pleasant  evening  for  those 
boys.  And  he  succeeded.  As  they  were  going 
away,  he  said,  "  You  see,  boys,  that  I  like  fun,  in  its 
time.  We  have  had  it  this  evening.  Now  when  we 
meet  in  the  Sunday-school,  I  want  you  to  remember 
that  that  is  no  place  for  sport.  We  will  get  all  the 
good  we  can  there  out  of  the  lesson.  The  fun  we 
will  have  outside."  Those  boys  behaved  better  the 
next  Sunday.  It  could  hardly  be  otherwise.  They 
could  not  but  feel  that  it  would  be  unfair  for  them 
to  play  in  Sunday-school  against  the  wish  of  such  a 
teacher  as  that.  And  what  that  teacher  did,  many 
of  you  could  do  with  a  similar  result.  One  well- 
managed  evening  with  your  class  in  your  own  home, 
during  the  week,  may  be  more  effective  in  giving 
you  a  personal  hold  on  the  scholars,  than  six  months 
in  the  Sunday-school,  without  any  outside  inter- 
course, would  prove. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  lit 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Fun  In  its 
place. 


312 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Three  are  too 
many. 


Unlooked-for 
Visits. 


Yet  it  is  not  always  practicable  to  reach  every  indi- 
vidual scholar  of  a  class  "by  an  address  or  an  appeal  to 
him  in  the  presence  of  his  classmates,  either  in  the 
school-room  or  at  the  teacher's  home.  The  private 
word  in  his  ear  must  be  to  himself  alone,  when  no 
one  else  is  at  hand  to  divide  his  attention,  or  to 
uphold  him  in  any  false  confidence ;  and  the  oppor- 
tunity for  that  word  must  be  found  by  the  teacher, 
in  one  way  or  another.  Each  scholar  must  be  dealt 
with,  outside  of  the  school  as  well  as  in  it,  in  view 
of  his  special  characteristics  and  capabilities.  One 
can  be  appealed  to  on  the  score  of  his  manliness ; 
another  can  be  approached  through  his  tenderer  feel- 
ings. One  can  be  asked  to  gratify  the  teacher  by 
good  conduct  and  attention  in  the  class  ;  another  can 
be  urged  to  use  his  influence  over  the  other  members 
of  the  class,  and  to  set  them  a  good  example.  In 
some  instances,  it  is  safe  to  bring  the  pressure  of 
kindly  ridicule  to  bear — in  private  conversation — on 
the  childishness  of  turning  the  class-hour  into  a 
season  of  folly ;  and,  again,  it  is  better  to  displace 
the  desire  for  mischief  by  stimulating  the  desire  for 
study  and  for  progress  in  knowledge.  The  teacher's 
ingenuity  and  patience  may  well  be  taxed  for  wise 
expedients  in  this  line  of  endeavor. 

Sometimes  a  rough  scholar  is  best  reached  for 
good  by  a  teacher's  unexpected  visit  to  him  in  his 
place  of  week-day  employment.  Finding  him  in  his 
work-shop,  or  at  his  livery  stable,  or  in  his  factory, 


Meeting  on  a  Level. 


313 


or  on  his  farm,  or  at  his  other  place  of  service,  his 
teacher  can  approach  him  on  the  level  where  the 
scholar  feels  at  his  manliest.  A  teacher  should 
always,  in  such  a  case,  have  and  show  respect  for 
the  scholar  within  that  scholar's  sphere  of  life,  as 
well  as  have  and  show  sympathy  with  him  in  all 
that  he  has  to  do  or  to  bear.  It  is  never  well  to  let 
a  scholar  think  that  his  teacher  has  come  to  him,  on 
such  an  occasion,  to  tutor  him  as  a  scholar.  Teacher 
and  scholar  must  meet,  at  such  a  time,  on  the  plane  of 
a  common  humanity,  where  each  gives  respect  to  the 
other,  and  each  has  the  other's  confidence.  It  may 
be  well  for  the  teacher  to  ask  the  scholar  about  his 
special  work,  and  to  show  an  interest  in  the  scholar's 
explanations  of  his  work.  There  is  an  added  gain 
if  the  scholar  is  enabled  to  show  that  there  is  some- 
thing about  which  he  knows  more  than  his  teacher, 
and  that  his  teacher  is  glad  to  obtain  information 
at  that  point  accordingly.  Then  is  a  favorable  mo- 
ment for  the  teacher  to  speak  an  influential  word, 
in  favor  of  the  scholar's  well-doing  and  right-bearing 
in  the  Sunday-school  class.  Laying  his  hand  on  the 
scholar's  shoulder,  or  putting  out  his  hand  to  him 
heartily,  in  parting,  the  teacher  might  pleasantly 
say  :  "  I  am  glad  to  have  learned  so  much  about  my 
scholar's  work  in  his  week-day  life ;  and  now  I  hope 
that  I  can  help  him  to  learn  something  about  that 
which  interests  me  more  than  all  else,  when  I  see 
him  at  our  Sunday  home."  Or,  again :  "  You  cer- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


On  the 

scholar's 

ground. 


314 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

Scholars 

while 

Present. 


A  new  hold. 


A  wayside 
meeting. 


tainly  are  doing  a  good  work  here.  I  hope  you  will 
do  as  good  work  of  another  sort  when  we  are 
together  in  our  Sunday-school  class."  A  teacher 
has  a  new  hold  on  a  scholar  with  whom  he  has  had 
one  such  interview  as  that.  The  two  persons  are  in 
another  relation  to  each  other,  when  they  meet  in 
Sunday-school  after  a  conversation  of  that  sort. 
There  is  a  long  stride  made  toward  managing  a 
scholar  who  has  been  reached  by  such  a  process. 

Occasionally,  a  chance  meeting  of  a  scholar  on  the 
street,  or  by  the  wayside,  gives  a  better  opportunity 
for  an  influential  personal  word,  than  any  which 
could  come  of  the  teacher's  deliberate  seeking.  The 
very  naturalness  of  the  meeting  gives  the  teacher  an 
advantage.  I  once  had  a  scholar  who  gave  me  no 
little  trouble  in  his  managing.  He  always  behaved 
badly  in  Sunday-school ;  and  I  found  it  not  an  easy 
matter  to  get  at  him  all  by  himself.  But  one  week- 
day evening  I  came  upon  him  unexpectedly,  in  a  side 
street,  at  a  distance  from  his  usual  haunts.  I  stopped 
at  once,  and  greeted  him  cordially.  Then  I  asked 
him  a  simple  question  about  the  neighborhood  we 
were  in.  Gradually  I  drew  him  along  in  conversa- 
tion, until  he  was  talking  freely  with  me  about  him- 
self and  his  wishes  and  his  plans ;  talking  with  me 
there  alone  in  the  shadow  of  the  evening,  as  he  had 
never  talked  with  me  before.  As  he  said  a  manly 
thing  about  his  wish  to  get  ahead  in  the  world,  I  laid 
my  hand  on  his  shoulder,  in  tenderness,  and  said 


A  Veteran's  Counsel. 


315 


earnestly :  "  I'm  glad  to  hear  you  say  that.  And 
that  shows  me  that  you  are  altogether  too  much  of 
a  man  to  act  as  you  have  acted  down  in  our  Sunday- 
school."  It  was  the  first  word  that  had  been  said 
about  the  Sunday-school,  and  it  came  upon  him  un- 
expectedly ;  but  it  was  all  the  more  effective  for  its 
surprise.  Instantly  he  responded  in  frankness,  say- 
ing that  he  knew  that  that  was  so.  Then  he  went 
on  to  tell  me,  that  he  had  intentionally  been  a  dis- 
turber of  the  school ;  for  he  always  wanted  "  to  do 
one  thing  or  the  other,"  and  was  determined  "to  go 
the  whole  figure  "  in  what  he  did  do.  Another  high- 
spirited  steed  had  submitted  to  bit  and  bridle,  and 
that  breaking-in  never  needed  to  be  done  over  again. 
Professor  Wilkinson,  in  telling  of  the  wise  counsel 
given  to  a  perplexed  teacher,  concerning  certain 
troublesome  scholars,  has  made  some  very  good  sug- 
gestions for  the  managing  of  two  boys  described  by 
this  teacher;  one  of  whom  annoyed  her  through  his 
.over-brightness,  and  his  constant  readiness  to  answer 
her  every  question  in  advance  of  his  classmates ; 
while  the  other  "  had  a  humor  of  answering  widely 
and  wisely,"  so  as  to  raise  a  laugh  in  the  class.  As 
to  the  first-named  scholar  he  said :  "  '  Go  and  see  the 
bright  boy  at  his  home,  and  come  to  an  understand- 
ing with  him,'  advised  the  friend  in  counsel.  *  Tell 
him  you  are  glad  to  have  him  know  his  lesson  so 
well,  and  be  so  ready  to  answer.  But  say,  "  N"ow, 
Frank,  let  us  make  an  arrangement  together,  you 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

.Scholars 

while 

Present. 


One  or  the 
other. 


Troublesome 
boys. 


316 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


As  easy  as 
turning  the 
hand. 


and  me.  You  have  noticed, — haven't  you? — that 
the  other  boys  let  you  do  all  the  answering.  Well, 
that  is  because  you  answer  so  quickly.  1  am  glad 
you  can  do  so ;  but  now  let  us  have  little  plan,  you 
and  me,  that  the  other  boys  shall  know  nothing  about. 
It  shall  be  a  kind  of  secret  between  us  two.  This  is 
it :  I  will  give  you  a  sign  when  I  want  you  to  answer. 
No  one  shall  know  the  sign  but  just  you  and  me.  It 
will  be  a  mystery  to  the  rest  of  the  boys,  and  you 
must  take  great  care  not  to  let  them  get  the  least 
whisper  of  it.  I  will  ask  a  question ,  and  you  watch  my 
hand.  I  will  keep  my  hand  out  flat,  like  this,  as  long 
as  I  want  you  to  wait,  and  not  answer,  for  the  sake 
of  giving  the  other  boys  a  chance.  But  when  you 
have  waited  long  enough,  and  I  want  you  to  speak 
out,  then  I  will  turn  over  my  hand  with  my  thumb 
uppermost,  so.  The  moment  I  do  that,  answer,  as 
quick  as  ever  you  can.  It  will  surprise  the  boys ; 
but  we  must  keep  the  plan  entirely  to  ourselves." 
'  My  impression  is,'  said  the  wise  counsellor,  4  that 
Frank  will  be  so  much  pleased  with  this  mysterious 
plan  as  to  give  you  no  further  trouble.' ' 

"  *  As  to  the  other  case/  the  counsellor  continued, 
<  the  boy  that  thinks  it  witty  to  answer  away  from 
the  point — I  have  this  suggestion  to  make.  [Here 
I  must  explain  that  the  counsellor  was  himself  the 
teacher  of  an  adult  Bible-class  in  the  same  Sunday- 
school.]  Speak  to  the  superintendent  about  the 
matter  beforehand,  and  he  agreeing,  when  that  boy 


A  Choice  of  Teachers. 


317 


makes  trouble  again,  let  the  superintendent  come, 
and,  with  his  pleasantest  smile,  say,  "  Which  one  of 
these  little  fellows  is  it,  Miss  Ogilvie  ? "  You  will  point 
out  William,  and  he  will  kindly  take  William  by  the 
hand,  and  leading  him  to  my  class,  as  if  it  were  the 
greatest  favor  done  him  in  the  world,  seat  him  by 
my  side,  to  spend  the  rest  of  the  hour  in  our  grown- 
up and  cheerful,  but  staid,  company.  You  shall  not 
accuse  him  to  the  superintendent,  and  the  superin- 
tendent shall  not  accuse  him  to  me,  and  we  will 
neither  of  us  lecture  him  at  all,  but  simply,  with  all 
courtesy,  and  almost  absent-mindedly,  as  it  were, 
take  possession  of  him  for  you.  I  think  I  can  war- 
rant that  William,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  such 
polite  attention  a  second  time  from  us  pleasant  gen- 
tlemen, will  conduct  himself  better.' ' 

These  are,  of  course,  only  a  few  ways  among 
many.  They  are  simply  illustrative  in  their  line. 
They  are  not  to  be  taken  as  working  patterns  for 
other  teachers;  but  they  may  prove  suggestive  of 
other  and  better  ways,  in  the  several  spheres  of 
ingenious  teachers.  It  may  be  said,  in  passing,  that 
it  is  often  the  case  that  unruly  and  troublesome  boys 
are  easier  managed  by  a  woman  teacher,  young  or 
old ;  while  girls  of  a  similar  stamp  are  easier  man- 
aged by  a  man.  In  the  one  case,  the  gentler  nature 
of  the  boys  is  drawn  out  by  the  woman's  tenderness 
and  grace  of  manner.  In  the  other  case,  the  higher 
nature  of  the  girls  is  evoked  by  the  bearing  of  one 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


In  the  Bible- 
class.         • 


Boys  or  girls. 


318 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


A  class  is  a 
unit. 


who  at  once  commands  their  respect.  And  this  is 
a  point  not  unworthy  of  attention  in  plans  for  the 
managing  of  scholars  who  are  in  special  need  of 
managing. 

v  Although  there  is  a  decided  gain  in  reaching  one's 
scholars  individually,  in  order  to  their  successful 
managing  in  the  class,  yet  it  should  not  he  forgotten 
that  a  class  in  the  Sunday-school,  like  a  class  in  the 
week-day  school,  is  a  class-unit,  instead  of  a  mere 
collection  of  hoys  or  girls;  and  that  it  is  to  he 
managed  as  a  class  while  its  members  are  gathered 
in  the  class.  Professor  Quick,  of  England,  has  given 
emphasis  to  this  truth.  Referring  to  Class  teaching 
in  week-day  schools,  he  says  :  "A  class  is  not  simply 
a  collection  of  individuals.  In  arithmetic,  a  score  is 
simply  twenty  units,  but  a  class  of  a  score  is  not 
simply  twenty  boys  or  twenty  girls.  It  is  an  entity 
in  itself,  and  it  thinks  things  and  does  things  that 
every  individual  by  himself  would  shrink  from  think- 
ing and  doing.  .  .  .  This  corporate  existence, 
and  the  subtle  influences  of  what  we  call  public 
opinion, — the  feeling  of  the  whole  body,  that  is,  not 
the  private  opinion  of  the  individuals  who  compose 
it, — exert  an  immense  force,  both  on  the  teachers 
and  on  the  taught.  .  .  .  As  it  has  been  said, 
you  can  no  more  understand  a  boy  if  you  disconnect 
him  from  his  form-fellows  [his  class-fellows]  than  you 
can  understand  a  bee  if  you  do  not  think  of  the 
hive.  .  .  .  This  influence  of  the  whole  body  on 


The  Power  of  Swaying  Scholars. 


319 


the  individual  members  was  clearly  perceived  by 
Froebel ;  and  he  uses  it  as  one  of  the  main  forces  in 
the  Kindergarten." 

This  treatment  of  the  class  as  a  class  has  oeen 
already  referred  to  in  the  illustrations  of  the  dis- 
orderly class  brought  under  loving  control  by  a  visit 
to  the  teacher's  house,  and  again  of  the  class  induced 
to  accept  a  substitute  teacher,  by  the  superintendent's 
appeal  to  its  class-love  for  its  absent  teacher.  Its 
power  is  evidenced  in  the  teacher's  ability  to  control 
and  sway  his  scholars  whenever  they  are  before  him 
as  a  class.  This  power  is  possessed  in  very  different 
measure  by  different  persons.  "  Tt  is  a  curious  gift," 
says  Archdeacon  Farrar.  "  You  cannot  by  any 
means  always  predict  who  would,  or  who  would  not, 
be  likely  to  possess  it.  I  have  known  some  teachers, 
very  great  and  very  eminent  men,  who  were  wholly 
without  it."  And  he  instances  his  own  "  dear  friend 
and  teacher,  Frederic  Denison  Maurice,"  as  one  who 
sadly  lacked  this  power ;  although  "  you  could  not 
meet  a  truer  man,  or  look  on  a  nobler  face."  He  adds 
encouragingly,  that  while  "  the  special  gift  of  dis- 
ciplinary power — such  a  gift  as  that  possessed  by 
Pestalozzi,  who  once  reduced  to  order  a  turbulent 
throng  of  boys  by  simply  lifting  his  finger — is  very 
rare ;  the  total  absence  of  it  is  also  very  rare ; "  more- 
over, "  it  is  a  sort  of  knack  which  may  be  acquired." 

In  view  of  the  importance  of  managing  a  class  as 
a  class,  and  of  the  different  measures  of  ability  in 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  :Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


The  gift  of 
control. 


320 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

vrhile 
Present. 


How  many 
scholars  for 
a,  class. 


A  teacher's 
helpers. 


this  line,  among  teachers,  it  is  essential  to  a  teacher's 
success  that  he  should  not  have  a  larger  numher  of 
scholars  in  his  class  than  he  can  manage  as  a  class. 
Beginning  with  a  smaller  numher  he  may,  indeed, 
make  such  progress  as  will  justify  his  enlarging  his 
class;  hut  it  should  never  be  enlarged  heyond  his 
managing  ability.  Professor  Hart  has  stated  the  truth 
on  this  point  concisely :  "  Class-teaching  consists  in 
making  a  unit  of  all  the  scholars,  no  matter  how 
many,  who  are  under  one  teacher.  The  ability  of 
teachers  differs  in  this.  One  teacher  can  make  a 
unit  of  twenty,  another  of  ten,  another  of  five, 
another  of  three,  while  some  ....  can  teach  but 
one,  or  at  the  most  but  two  at  a  time.  ...  A 
teacher  is  overloaded  the  moment  he  has  a  single 
scholar  more  than  he  can  keep  fully  occupied.  Every 
teacher  should  ascertain,  or  the  superintendent  should 
ascertain  for  him-* exactly  how  many  he  can  thus 
weld  into  one,  and  every  scholar  added  to  the  class 
after  it  has  reached  that  limit  should  be  considered 
as  so  much  material  wasted." 

In  all  his  efforts  at  managing  his  scholars,  a 
teacher  ought  not  to  feel  that  he  is  to  work  alone. 
There  are  helpers  for  him  at  every  point.  Not  only 
are  all  teachers  to  be  "  laborers  together  with  God," 
with  the  privilege  of  being  assured  that  God  is  with 
them  in  all  their  trials  and  needs ;  but  they  are  to 
count  themselves  also  workers  together  with  their 
pastor,  with  their  superintendent,  and  with  each 


A  Good  Scholar's  Helpfulness. 


321 


other,  assured  of  help,  as  well  as  sympathy,  from 
pastor,  from  superintendent,  and  from  fellow- 
teachers,  if  they  will  only  seek  it  specifically  and 
intelligently.  Moreover,  there  are  other  available 
helpers  to  a  teacher  in  class-managing;  and  first 
among  these  come  the  good  scholars  of  the  teacher's 
class. 

A  good  scholar  is  one  of  the  best  of  helpers  in  a 
Sunday-school  class.  A  scholar  who  is  punctual  and 
well  behaved,  who  is  studious  and  attentive  and 
manifestly  of  a  loving  spirit,  is  a  living  illustration 
of  his  teacher's  teachings,  and  thus  is  an  instructive 
example  before  the  other  scholars  in  the  class.  Not 
all  teachers  are  prompt  enough  to  realize  this  truth, 
nor  ready  enough  to  recognize  the  help  which  comes 
in  this  way.  Many  a  good  scholar  is  entitled  not  only  to 
his  teacher's  recognition,  but  to  his  teacher's  hearty 
thanks  for  his  well-doing,  and  for  the  service  thereby 
rendered  to  those  whom  the  teacher  desires  to  bene- 
fit. And  when  a  scholar  is  entitled  to  such  recog- 
nition and  thanks,  the  teacher  fails  in  duty  if  he 
withholds  them  from  him.  Dr.  Thomas  Arnold,  a 
prince  of  teachers,  gave  prominence  to  the  help 
rendered  him,  in  his  school,  by  good  scholars.  Re- 
ferring to  one  such  scholar,  he  called  him,  a  a  bless- 
ing to  that  school,"  and  to  that  scholar's  parents  he 
wrote :  "  Your  son  has  done  good  to  the  school  to  an 
extent  that  cannot  be  calculated."  Many  a  teacher 
in  the  Sunday-school  has  found  the  gain  of  com- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


How  a 
scholar  can 
help. 


A  teacher'j 
duty  of 
acknowledg- 
ing help. 


322 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Home-help 
for  the 
teacher. 


mending  a  scholar  for  his  spirit  and  conduct,  and 
of  asking  his  aid  in  bringing  other  scholars  of  the 
class  to  a  higher  standard  than  that  to  which  they 
have  thus  far  attained. 

Yet  another  source  of  help  to  the  teacher,  is  to  he 
found  in  the  scholars'  homes.  A  mother's  or  a 
father's  help  is  not  to  be  slighted  in  the  managing, 
or  in  the  teaching,  of  a  child  in  the  Sunday-school. 
If  that  help  be  freely  proffered  to  the  teacher,  in  his 
work  for  his  scholars,  he  should  accept  it  gratefully. 
If  it  is  not  forthcoming  without  his  request  for  it,  he 
ought  to  seek  it  persistently.  No  teacher  who  finds 
a  difficulty  in  managing  his  class,  has  yet  done  his 
best  to  secure  a  wise  control  of  his  scholars,  if  he  has 
failed  to  seek  the  co-operation  of  the  parents  of  these 
scholars  in  his  endeavors  in  their  behalf.  There  are 
very  few  parents  who  would  not  gratefully  receive 
the  courteous  visits  of  their  children's  Sunday-school 
teachers.  More  parents  than  the  teachers  commonly 
suppose,  would  welcome  timely  and  judicious  sug- 
gestions as  to  the  way  in  which  they  could  co-work 
with  those  teachers.  There  is  no  good  in  complain- 
ing that  the  scholars  do  not  study  their  Sunday-school 
lessons  at  home,  or  behave  as  they  should  in  the 
Sunday-school  class.  There  may  be  a  great  deal  of 
good  in  going  frankly  to  the  parents,  to  ask  if  they 
will  not  kindly  see  that  their  children  study  their 
lessons,  and  that  they  go  to  the  Sunday-school  with 
a  purpose  of  good  behavior  there.  And  all  this 


Growth  Unto  Completeness. 


323 


can  be  done  without  any  complaining  on  the  teach- 
er's part  against  the  conduct  of  the  scholars.  Teachers 
and  parents  ought  to  have  an  understanding  on  this 
subject.  Some  of  them  do  so.  If  you  have  trouble 
in  managing  your  scholars,  you  ought  to  be  of  the 
number  of  those  who  seek  and  obtain  home-help  in 
the  scholars'  managing.  It  may  be  that  you  could 
do  more  for  your  scholars  by  one  hour's  judicious 
work  with  the  parents,  than  by  a  month's  work  with 
the  scholars  without  any  help  from  the  parents.  You 
ought  to  have  the  parents  with  you  as  "  fellow-helpers 
to  the  truth."  You  ought  to  seek  their  co-operation 
persistently  and  in  faith.  It  is  your  duty  to  want  it, 
to  go  for  it,  to  secure  it.  According  to  your  desires 
and  your  faith — as  shown  in  your  wise  and  persistent 
work  in  this  direction — so  it  shall  be  unto  you. 

As  it  is  in  the  matter  of  personal  behavior  in  the 
class,  so  it  may  be  in  any  other  line  of  your  effort  in 
behalf  of  your  scholars.  In  punctuality  of  attend- 
ance, in  reverence  of  spirit,  in  studioueness,  in  giving 
into  the  Lord's  treasury,  in  loving  others  and  in 
doing  for  them,  your  scholars  may  be  trained  as  well 
as  managed.  By  taking  up  one  point  at  a  time,  and 
pressing  it  patiently  and  faithfully  with  your 
scholars,  you  may  raise  the  standard  of  your  scholars' 
being  and  doing  at  that  point;  and  so  you  may 
"  press  on  unto  perfection  " — go  forward  unto  full 
growth,  or  completeness — with  all  in  your  class. 
Indeed,  the  term  "  managing,"  as  applied  to  your 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

Scholars 

while 

Present. 


Seeking  the 
parents'  aid. 


As  in  one 
point,  so  in 
all. 


324 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


A  tireless 
task. 


The  bronze 
doors. 


work  in  behalf  of  your  scholars,  must  not  be  limited 
to  the  idea  of  controlling  them  in  their  behavior.  It 
should  be  made  to  include  all  that  goes  to  the. form- 
ing and  finishing  of  the  scholar's  character ;  for  that 
should  be  the  scope  of  your  desires,  of  your  endeav- 
ors, of  your  prayers,  and  of  your  faith.  And  such 
a  work  is  not  easily  nor  quickly  compassed.  It  is  a 
tireless,  and,  in  a  sense,  an  endless  task ;  for  the 
work  of  character-finishing  is  a  work  which  is  never 
finished. 

At  this  point,  also,  an  illustration  may  be  in  order. 
In  the  Capitol  at  Washington,  are  two  sets  of  mas- 
sive metal  doors,  with  bronze  panels ;  the  one  set 
representing  scenes  in  the  life  of  Columbus,  the 
other  representing  scenes  in  the  life  of  Washington. 
The  panels  of  the  last-named  set  w^ere  cast  in  the 
bronze- foundry  at  Chicopee,  Massachusetts,  from  the 
original  designs  by  the  sculptor  Crawford.  When 
they  came  from  the  foundry-moulds,  Ihose  panels 
showed  little  of  grace  or  elegance  of  design,  and 
nothing  of  the  finish  which  they  now  display.  Their 
surfaces  were  rough,  their  edges  were  ragged,  and 
adhering  fragments  of  clay  still  concealed  or  dis- 
figured their  artistic  plan.  Then  commenced  the 
work  of  conforming  the  panels  to  the  original  models. 
Day  after  day,  skilled  workmen  sat  over  those  bronze- 
reliefs,  cleansing  their  surfaces,  trimming  their  edges, 
filling  in  a  porous  cavity  here,  cutting  off  a  pro- 
jecting bit  of  metal  there,  touching  carefully  the 


Character  -  Work  is  Never  Finished. 


825 


lines  of  figure  after  figure,  and  polishing  diligently 
what  might  have  seemed,  to  the  careless  eye,  already 
shaped  properly.  The  pattern  was  before  the  worker. 
He  watched  that  closely,  and  sought  to  hring  the 
outlines  and  surface  of  each  figure  on  the  metal  plate 
he  handled,  to  the  standard  of  the  great  designer. 
Visiting  the  bronze-foundry  at  that  time,  I  stood  for 
a  while  near  a  careful  worker  on  these  panels,  and 
saw  how  faithfully  he  toiled ;  how,  again  and  again, 
he  went  back  to  touch  once  more  a  line  or  a  point 
at  which  he  had  labored  before ;  how  he  smoothed 
and  burnished  each  separate  portion  repeatedly,  and 
seemed  never  to  count  any  part  perfect.  At  length 
I  said  to  him  in  surprise :  "  I  shouldn't  think  you 
would  know  when  you  were  through  with  this  work. 
You  seem  always  to  have  something  more  to  do  on 
it."  "  We  never  are  through  with  it,  so  long  as  they 
will  let  us  work  on  it,"  was  his  reply.  "  There  is 
always  something  more  to  be  done  to  advantage. 
Such  work  as  this  is  never  perfect. ,  So  we  keep  at 
it  until  they  take  the  panels  away.  Then,  of  course, 
we  must  stop." 

Work  on  character,  like  work  on  bronze  figures, 
is  never  finished  in  this  life.  There  is  always  some- 
thing more  to  be  done  to  advantage,  even  for  a  soul 
newly  created  in  God's  image,  so  long  as  God  per- 
mits the  worker  to  continue  at  his  work.  The 
teacher  takes  the  rough  and  incomplete  scholar,  with 
all  the  defilements  of  his  native  earth,  and  all  the 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 

Managing 

Scholars 

while 
Present. 


Over  and 
over  again. 


Always 

something 

more. 


326 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  III. 
Managing 
Scholars 

while 
Present. 


The  end  is 
not  yet. 


imperfections  of  his  lower  humanity,  still  upon  him; 
and  having  the  divine  Author's  pattern  before  him, 
he  commences  his  work  of  conforming  the  features 
of  his  charge  to  that.  One  word  of  counsel  is  given 
at  this  point ;  one  of  rebuke  at  that.  Now,  a  fault  is 
to  be  corrected ;  then,  a  right  action  must  receive 
commendation.  "What  was  touched  yesterday  needs 
re-touching  to-day.  Teaching  and  influencing, 
shaping  and  polishing,  must  go  on  in  all  their  various 
processes,  over  and  over  again.  "  Precept  must  be 
upon  precept,  precept  upon  precept ;  line  upon  line, 
line  upon  line ;  here  a  little  and  there  a  little,"  in 
the  hope  of  bringing  each  scholar  under  treatment, 
into  the  faith  and  into  "  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  unto  a  full-grown  man,  unto  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  But  that  hope 
is  not  to  have  its  highest  or  its  final  fulfillment  while 
the  day  of  toil  lasts,  or  before  "  the  night  cometh, 
when  no  man  can  work." 

"  Standing  still  is  dangerous  ever, 

Toil  is  meant  for  Christians  now ; 
Let  there  be,  when  evening  cometh, 

Honest  sweat  upon  thy  brow  ; 
And  the  Master  shall  come  smiling, 

At  the  setting  of  the  sun, 
Saying,  as  he  pays  the  wages, 

'  Good  and  faithful  one,  well  done  1 '  * 


Out  of  Sight,  Out  of  Mind. 


327 


IV. 
REACHING  SCHOLARS  WHEN  ABSENT. 

Danger  of  Losing  the  Absent ;  Causes  of  Absence ;  Gain  of  Work  for 
the  Absent;  The  Apostle  John  and  the  Robber ;  Calling  Back  the 
Truant;  Writing  Letters  to  the  Absent;  Gain  through  Letter- 
Writing. 

So  long  as  a  scholar  is  regular  in  his  attendance  upon 
a  Sunday-school,  so  long  as  he  is  punctually  in  his 
place  in  his  class,  week  by  week,  he  can  be  reason- 
ably sure  of  attention  from  his  teacher.  There  are 
few  scholars  who  are  openlj  neglected  while  they 
are  face  to  face  with  their  teachers.  But  when  a 
scholar  absents  himself  from  his  class  and  his  school, 
then  he  is  in  danger  of  neglect  from  his  teacher,  if 
not  indeed  in  danger  of  his  teacher's  forgetfulness. 
"  Out  of  sight,  out  of  mind,"  is  an  adage  that  has 
its  too  common  application  to  the  Sunday-school 
scholar,  as  well  as  to  those  in  every  other  sphere  of 
life. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  probable  that  more  than 
one-half  of  all  the  scholars  who  are  brought  under 
the  oversight  of  teachers  in  our  Sunday-schools,  in 
city  and  in  country,  the  whole  world  over,  are  lost 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


A.  lost  multi- 
tude. 


328 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 
Reaching 
Scholars 

when 
Absent. 


A  multitude 
rescued. 


Dangers  of 
absence. 


to  the  Sunday-school  by  the  neglect  of  their  teachers 
to  follow  them  up  when  first  they  absent  themselves 
from  the  Sunday-school,  or  to  keep  a  hold  on  them 
by  correspondence  when  the  teacher  himself  is  away 
on  vacation.  And,  again,  as  a  practical  matter,  it  is 
probably  true,  that  wise  and  loving  efforts  to  reach 
scholars  who  absent  themselves  from  the  Sunday- 
school,  or  from  whom,  while  at  the  Sunday-school,  the 
teacher  has  absented  himself,  have  a  power  for  good 
beyond  the  best  efforts  which  are  made  to  reach 
those  same  scholars  while  they  and  their  teachers  are 
together  with  never  an  interval  of  separation — on 
Sundays. 

If,  when  a  scholar  absents  himself  from  the  Sun- 
day-school, no  notice  is  taken  of  his  ~  absence,  he 
naturally  comes  to  have  the  feeling  that  the  tie 
which  bound  him  to  hio  teacher  is  not  a  very  strong 
one.  On  the  other  hand,  his  teacher  quickly,  or,  at 
all  events,  surely,  loses  an  interest  in  behalf  of  a 
scholar  who  neither  is  present  in  the  class  to  be  seen 
and  dealt  with  there,  nor  is  kept  in  mind,  while  away 
from  sight,  by  special  efforts  to  reach  him  lovingly. 
Most  teachers  would  be  surprised,  if  they  had  kept 
a  close  record  of  all  the  scholars  who  have  been  in 
their  class,  say,  within  the  past  five  years,  and  could 
look  back  over  it  to  ascertain  how  large  a  proportion 
of  the  entire  members  had  dropped  out,  one  at  a 
time,  and  not  been  followed  up  to  be  brought  back 
to  the  class,  or  to  be  assured  of  their  teacher's  con- 


Finding  the  Cause  of  Absence. 


329 


tinned  interest  in  their  welfare.  Yet  again,  those 
teachers  who  have  kept  such  a  record,  and  have 
meantime  been  faithful  in  following  up  their  schol- 
ars by  personal  visits  or  by  letters,  would  probably 
be  equally  surprised,  on  looking  back  over  that 
record,  to  see  how  many  of  their  scholars  were  really 
won  to  a  new  interest  in  the  school,  and  to  new  love 
for  their  teacher,  by  the  teacher's  work  in  their  be- 
half when  the  scholar  or  the  teacher  was  away  from 
the  school. 

There  is  always  some  cause  for  a  scholar's  absent- 
ing himself  from  his  Sunday-school,  even  though 
there  is  not  always  a  reason  for  his  so  doing.  It 
may  be  that  it  is  some  outside  temptation,  which  just 
then  draws  him  away  from  the  place  where  other- 
wise he  would  be  glad  to  be  on  a  Sunday.  A 
teacher's  visit  to  him  in  the  week  following,  or  even 
a  teacher's  kindly  note  to  him,  may  be  the  means  of 
drawing  him  back  again  from  the  line  of  life  which 
but  for  this  would  be  followed  to  his  lasting  injury. 
It  may  be  only  his  listlessness,  his  lack  of  interest  in 
class  or  teacher,  which  has  kept  him  away.  The 
unexpected  show  of  loving  interest  in  him  person- 
ally, by  the  visit  or  the  note  of  his  teacher,  may 
rouse  him  to  a  grateful  recognition  of  the  fact  that  a 
place  in  that  class  and  under  that  teacher  means  a 
great  deal  more  than  he  had  hitherto  supposed.  It 
may  be  that  his  own  sickness,  or  that  sickness  or 
sorrow  in  his  home-circle,  is  the  cause  of  his  deten- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


A  cause,  if 
not  a  reason. 


330 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholai 

when 

Absent. 


A  crisis. 


Gaining 
knowledge 
and  love. 


tion  from  the  school.  If  his  teacher  comes  to  him 
at  such  a  time,  and  evidences  sympathy  with  him  in 
his  illness  or  in  his  trial,  a  new  hold  is  gained  on  his 
confidence  and  affections;  while  his  teacher's  ab- 
sence at  such  a  time  may  be  construed  by  him  into 
a  lack  of  interest  in  him  personally,  and  will  be,  at 
the  best,  a  lost  opportunity  to  the  teacher.  What- 
ever may  be  the  cause  of  the  scholar's  absence,  the 
absence  itself  makes,  as  it  were,  a  crisis  in  the 
scholar's  career  as  a  scholar — a  crisis  which  cannot 
be  neglected  by  the  teacher  without  a  risk  to  both 
scholar  and  teacher. 

Work  for  a  scholar  in  a  scholar's  absence,  gives  a 
new  power  to  the  teacher,  not  only  a  new  power  over 
the  scholar,  but  a  new  power  to  the  teacher  in  the 
teacher's  sphere  of  knowledge,  of  influence,  and  of 
affection.  A  teacher  knows  more  of  a  scholar  whom 
he  has  followed  up  during  his  absence  from  the  class, 
and  he  is  pretty  sure  to  gain  an  added  knowledge  of 
wise  methods  in  behalf  of  that  scholar,  and  of  other 
scholars  similarly  circumstanced,  by  his  seeing  that 
scholar,  and  his  doing  for  him,  in  this  emergency.  A 
teacher  is  himself  more  of  a  man  for  all  his  wise  and 
loving  doing  for  another ;  and  a  teacher  is  sure  to 
love  more  dearly,  and  to  be  more  dearly  loved  by,  a 
scholar  in  whose  behalf  he  has  exerted  himself,  and 
has  been  privileged  to  do  efficient  service.  A  scholar's 
absence  from  his  class,  opens  up,  in  fact,  a  wide 
sphere  of  possibilities  of  good  to  both  scholar  and 


The  Apostle  and  the  Robber. 


331 


teacher;  and  no  teacher  can  fairly  fill  his  place 
without  recognizing  and  occupying  this  sphere  of 
hopeful  endeavor. 

It  is  more  than  a  legend  of  the  Beloved  Apostle 
which  tells  of  his  following  up  an  absent  and  way- 
ward scholar,  to  his  final  rescue.  Clement  gives  it 
as  "  a  story  which  is  not  a  story,  but  a  veritable 
account  that  has  been  handed  down  and  carefully 
kept  in  memory ;  "  and  Neander  says  that  the  nar- 
rative "gives  altogether  the  impression  of  actual 
truth  lying  at  its  basis."  A  young  scholar  of  John, 
in  the  vicinity  of  Ephesus,  was  loved  and  influenced 
and  taught  by  the  Apostle,  until  he  seemed  safe 
within  the  fold  of  the  Christian  Church.  During 
John's  absence  from  that  region,  the  young  convert 
was  led  astray,  and  finally  became  the  captain  of  a 
band  of  robbers  in  the  neighboring  mountains. 
"When  the  Apostle  returned  to  that  region  and 
learned  of  this,  nothing  could  keep  him  from  seek- 
ing his  former  scholar  in  the  hope  of  his  rescue.  He 
hastened  into  the  mountains,  and  permitted  himself 
to  be  taken  a  prisoner,  that  he  might  come  face  to 
face  with  the  man  he  sought.  The  sight  of  his  old 
teacher  brought  up  a  flood  of  recollections  which 
overpowered  the  robber  chieftain,  and  he  turned 
away  to  fly  from  the  face  of  John.  But  John  pursued 
him,  calling  after  him  in  love,  and  urging  him  to  come 
back  and  be  forgiven.  The  teacher's  loving  persis- 
tency triumphed,  and  the  recreant  scholar  was  saved. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


Seeking  the 
lost. 


332 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


Hunting  up 

one's 

scholars. 


A  Christmas 
gathering. 


I  know  a  Sunday-school  where- the  teachers  really 
gained  their  hold  on  their  scholars  by  following  them 
up  in  their  absence,  rather  than  by  giving  them  at- 
tention when  they  came  voluntarily  to  the  school. 
In  that  school,  the  teachers  took  it  for  granted,  from 
the  start,  that  the  scholars  were  not  attached  to  the 
Sunday-school,  and  that  they  could  not  be  expected 
to  come  there  the  second  time  merely  because  they 
had  come  there  once.  On  Sunday  noon,  the  teachers 
were  accustomed  to  go  down  into  the  neighborhood 
of  that  school  and  look  up  their  scholars — who  would 
otherwise  not  be  in  attendance.  Along  the  river 
banks,  in  the  close  courts  or  in  the  open  lots,  around 
the  doors  of  the  low  grog-shops,  and  in  their  various 
other  haunts,  those  scholars  were  sought  out  by  their 
teachers,  and  won  by  loving  invitations  to  the  Sun- 
day-school room.  And  what  was  .done  for  those 
scholars  while  they  were  thoughtlessly  or  deter- 
minedly absenting  themselves  from  the  Sunday- 
school,  really  did  more  to  attach  them  to  that  school, 
and  to  their  teachers  in  it,  than  all  that  was  done  for 
them  when  they  had  found  their  way  to  it  unsought. 

A  teacher  in  another  Sunday-school  with  which  I 
was  familiar,  was  accustomed  to  invite  his  scholars 
to  visit  him  at  his  house  on  Christmas  morning, 
when  he  always  had  a  little  gift,  with  a  loving  word, 
for  each.  On  two  occasions  he  won  back  a  truant 
.scholar,  who  seemed  already  lost  to  that  class,  by 
sending  him  a  special  message  of  invitation  to  come 


Vacation-  A  bsences. 


333 


with  the  other  boys  to  his  house  on  the  approaching 
Christmas.  This  recognition,  by  the  teacher,  of  the 
scholar's  connection  with  the  class,  even  while  he  was 
persistently  absenting  himself  from  it,  seemed  to 
touch  the  scholar's  heart;  and,  in  each  case,  the 
scholar  came  back  not  only  on  the  Christmas  morn- 
ing, but  on  the  Sundays  which  followed  that  Christ- 
mas; and  this  was  the  most  natural  thing  in  the 
world  for  a  scholar  with  a  human  heart  to  do. 

But,  apart  from  what  might -be  called  the  absences 
of  truancy,  or  again  the  providential  absences  of 
sickness  or  bereavement,  there  are  the  vacation- 
absences — absences  through  the  vacation  of  either 
scholar  or  teacher — which  are  liable  to  separate 
teacher  and  scholars  in  almost  any  Sunday-school 
class.  These  absences,  also,  are  both  critical  and 
crucial.  When  a  scholar,  for  example,  who  has 
been  faithful  in  Sunday-school  attendance,  and  in 
Sunday-school  study,  goes  away  from  his  home  for 
a  season,  and  is,  in  consequence,  absent  from  his 
Sunday-school  for  the  time  being,  the  question 
arises :  Will  this  absence  sunder,  or  weaken,  the  tie 
that  has  bound  teacher  and  scholar  together  in  the 
Sunday-school;  or,  will  it,  as  it  may,  give  the 
teacher  a  fresh  and  firmer  hold  on  the  scholar,  and 
bring  the  scholar  under  a  new  and  stronger  influ- 
ence for  good,  through  the  teacher's  wise  improve- 
ment of  this  added  opportunity  of  reaching  and  in- 
fluencing his  scholar?  And  as  it  is  in  the  case  of  a 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


The  truant 
won. 


Critical  and 
crucial. 


331 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


A  tie 
strength- 
ened. 


Letters  from 
home. 


scholar's  vacation-absence,  so,  in  a  measure,  it  is  in 
the  case  of  a  teacher's  vacation.  In  each  case,  the 
enforced  separation  of  scholar  and  teacher  makes 
the  scholar  peculiarly  susceptible,  for  a  time,  at 
least,  to  tender  recollections  of  a  kindly  teacher's 
ways  and  words;  and  if,  during  that  period,  the 
teacher  comes  in  upon  the  scholar's  mind  afresh 
with  a  loving  letter  of  remembrance  and  of  good 
wishes,  the  ties  which  have  been  strained  and  tested 
by  the  separation,  are  entwisted  and  strengthened 
so  as  to  hold  and  bind  more  securely  than  before. 

The  Sunday-school  teacher  who  has  never  written 
a  letter  to  one  of  his  scholars  has  failed  to  use  one 
of  the  most  powerful  agencies  in  impressing  and 
instructing  the  young  mind — -the  mind  either  young 
or  old.  Every  boy  and  every  girl  likes  to  receive  a 
letter  of  friendship.  Who,  indeed,  does  not?  "What 
had  more  power  over  the  soldier's  heart,  North  or 
South,  in  the  days  of  our  civil  war,  than  the  home 
mail  ?  Artists  have  sought  in  paintings  of  cabin-life 
among  the  pioneer  miners  of  California  and  Aus- 
tralia, to  show  how  a  letter  from  home  tends  to 
soften  and  subdue  the  roughest  of  the  race ;  and  any 
man  who  has  had  much  to  do  with  his  fellows  away 
from  home,  knows  that  there  is  never  a  time  when 
the  hardest  heart  seems  more  open  and  impressible, 
than  when  letters  from  absent  dear  ones  have  just 
broken  in  on  the  hard  realities  of  the  life  away  from 
home.  As  it  is  with  the  roughest,  so  it  is  with  those 


Power  of  Correspondence. 


335 


of  tender  heart ;  a  loving  voice  through  the  mail  is 
always  sure  of  a  welcome  hearing. 

The  receipt  of  a  letter  by  mail  is  quite  an  event  in 
the  experience  of  most  young  people.  A  thoughtless 
hoy  or  girl  will  often  read  carefully  what  a  teacher 
has  written  to  him  or  her  personally,  when  that  same 
teacher's  spoken  words  would  pass  unheeded. 
"Words  of  affectionate  interest  in  a  scholar  have  a 
new  power  when  read  from  a  letter.  "  I  never 
realized  how  much  interest  you  had  in  me,"  said  one 
who  was  addressed  in  this  way,  u  until  I  saw  it  ex- 
pressed in  black  and  white."  Many  a  teacher  who 
thinks  that  a  certain  scholar  of  his  class  is  not  to  be 
reached  by  his  best  efforts,  would  be  surprised  at  the 
effect  of  a  single  loving  letter  containing  wisely  con- 
sidered counsel  to  that  wayward  or  frivolous  scholar. 
A  particular  request  made  of  a  scholar  in  writing  has 
far  more  force  than  one  made  orally.  If  a  teacher 
wants  more  punctual  attendance,  more  of  quiet  and 
attention  in  the  class,  more  of  home  study,  on  a 
scholar's  part,  he  will  at  times  do  well  to  ask  for  it 
in  a  letter.  If  he  would  impress  a  special  truth  or 
text  on  that  scholar's  mind,  he  can  often  best  do  so 
through  writing.  A  truth  stated  clearly  in  a  letter 
comes  home  with  freshness  and  power  to  one  who 
reads  the  letter  as  his  own.  A  text  written  in  a  let- 
ter, with  a  request  for  its  memorizing,  is  sometimes 
thus  fastened  for  a  lifetime.  I  know  a  mother  of  a 
family  who  treasures  still  in  her  mind  and  heart,  as 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


In  black  and 
white. 


Writing  the 
text. 


336 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


text.'' 


The  weekly 
letter. 


A  new 

insight. 


an  ever-present  truth,  the  simple  and  impressive  text, 
"  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place,  beholding 
the  evil  and  the  good,"  because  when  she  was  a- little 
child  her  father  printed  out  that  text  in  a  letter  to 
her  while  he  was  away  from  home,  asking  her  to 
fasten  it  in  her  memory.  S^e  learned  it  then  as  her 
text  from  her  papa,  and  to  this  day  she  calls  it 
"  Papa's  text ;"  and  no  other  text  learned  in  any 
other  way  has  so  aided  as  that  to  keep  ever  before 
her  mind  the  truth  that  she  is  always  under  the 
watchful  eye  of  God.  Nor  is  that  mother  peculiar 
in  thus  holding  ever  fresh  the  memory  of  a  letter 
from  an  absent  instructor. 

For  a  series  of  years,  a  good  teacher  in  New  York 
City  was  in  the  habit  of  writing  a  letter  each  week, 
during  her  summer  vacation,  to  the  scholars  of  her 
class  in  a  mission-school,  and  they  were  in  the  habit 
of  calling  at  her  house  to  receive  that  letter,  on  Sat- 
urday afternoon,  from  some  member  of  her  family. 
It  was  to  those  scholars  next  best  to  being  in  Sunday- 
school,  to  get  that  weekly  letter  from  their  teacher, 
and  her  hold  on  them  was  certainly  not  lessened  dur- 
ing her  vacation-absence  from  them.  A  teacher  in 
Philadelphia,  who  thought  her  class  of  trifling  girls 
quite  beyond  her  control,  was  surprised,  on  opening  a 
correspondence  with  them,  during  their  and  her  tem- 
porary separation,  to  find  how  warm  were  their  hearts 
towards  her,  and  how  deeply  they  had  thought  on 
her  teachings.  She  actually  gained  a  new  understand- 


Writing  to  Former  Scholars. 


337 


ing  of  them,  and  hence  a  new  fitness  for  her  work 
with  them,  through  this  correspondence,  which  was 
the  result  of  an  enforced  absence.  In  that  case,  as 
in  many  another,  teacher  and  scholars  were  brought 
closer  together  through  being  apart  for  a  while.  It 
may  be  recalled,  just  here,  that  it  is  a  historic  fact 
that  in  the  days  of  the  Roman  Empire,  a  newly  mar- 
ried couple  deliberately  parted  from  each  other  for  a 
season,  in  order  to  gain  that  better  understanding 
and  that  higher  appreciation  of  each  other  which,  it 
was  claimed,  could  come  only  through  correspond- 
ence by  letter.  Even  if  teachers  and  scholars  do  not 
act  upon  this  suggestion  to  the  extent  of  absenting 
themselves  from  each  other  in  order  to  get  nearer 
together,  every  teacher  can  wisely  improve  an  en- 
forced absence  by  gaining  a  new  view  of  his  schol- 
ars, and  a  new  hold  on  them,  also,  by  means  of  a 
loving  correspondence  during  that  absence. 

In  many  cases  a  permanent  absence  of  the  teacher 
or  the  scholar  from  his  class,  is  made  to  bring  good 
results  through  the  continued  correspondence  of  the 
teacher  with  his  former  scholar  or  scholars.  Thomas 
Arnold  never  lost  his  interest  in  one  of  his  old 
scholars ;  and  in  all  his  busy  life  he  found  time 
to  write  to  many  of  them,  even  long  after  they  had 
left  his  school.  There  are  Sunday-school  teachers 
who  still  correspond  faithfully  with  their  scholars 
of  long  ago.  And  many  a  mature  Christian  can 
testify  of  the  spiritual  gain  to  himself  which  was  a 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


Nearer  while 
separated. 


Dr.  Arnold's 
way. 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


The  annj 
mail. 


When  to 
write. 


result  of  letters  from  his  Sunday-school  teacher 
years  after  he  had  left  her  class — without  any  seem- 
ing benefit  from  her  teachings  or  her  influence. 
Within  my  knowledge,  a  class  of  girls  in  a  New 
England  Sunday-school  were  accustomed  for  a  long 
time  to  look  forward  with  as  much  interest  to  the 
reading  of  a  weekly  letter  coming  to  them  from  a 
former  teacher,  as  to  almost  any  Sunday-school  exer- 
cise ;  and  they  treasured  permanently  the  letters 
thus  received,  each  scholar  in  turn  taking  one  of 
the  letters  to  he  kept  and  to  be  re-read  again  and 
again.  One  Sunday-school  teacher  whom  I  knew, — 
and  there  may  have  been  many  like  her  in  this, — kept 
her  hold,  during  all  the  years  of  our  civil  war,  on  her 
widely  scattered  scholars  who  were  Union  soldiers, 
by  her  faithful  and  untiring  correspondence  with 
them  each  and  all;  and  the  grateful  replies  to  her 
letters  were,  before  the  close  of  the  war,  to  be  num- 
bered by  the  hundred.  There  was  no  influence 
from  home  or  camp  which  did  more  for  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  those  young  men,  than  the  influence  of 
that  Sunday-school  teacher's  correspondence. 

There  is  a  power  for  good  in  Sunday-school  cor- 
respondence which  many  have  not  yet  realized.  If 
you  are  away  temporarily  from  your  scholars,  write 
to  them.  If  they  are  absent  for  a  reason  from  your 
class,  write  to  them.  If  they  have  permanently  left 
the  school,  write  to  them.  If  you  have  left  them  for 
a  new  field  of  labor,  write  to  them.  If  you  are  still 


The  Accepted  Time. 


339 


near  them,  write  to  them.  If  you  love  them,  write 
and  tell  them  so.  If  you  want  them  to  love  your 
Saviour,  write  to  them  of  your  desire.  If  they  are 
your  fellow-disciples,  and  you  would  cheer  and 
instruct  them  in  the  Christian  life,  write  to  them 
accordingly. 

If  your  scholars  are  with  you  face  to  face,  feel 
that  now  is  the  most  hopeful  time  for  your  endeavors 
in  their  behalf.  If  your  scholars  are  absent  from 
you,  or  you  are  absent  from  your  scholars,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  feel  that  now  is  the  time  for 
your  still  more  hopeful  endeavors  for  their  good,  in 
another  way  than  is  possible  while  you  are  with 
them  face  to  face.  Whether  your  scholars  are 
present  or  absent,  now  is  the  accepted  time  for  you  to 
be  a  means  of  good  to  them.  You  are  blameworthy 
if  you  fail  to  improve  that  time  according  to  its 
peculiar  opportunities  and  possibilities. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work, 

SECTION  IV. 

Reaching 

Scholars 

when 

Absent. 


Present,  or 
absent. 


340 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


The  end  and 
aim. 


V. 

HELPING  SCHOLARS  TO  CHRISTIAN 
DECISION. 

The  End  and  Aim  of  Sunday-school  Work;  Confounding  Conver- 
sion with  Regeneration;  Urging  the  Wrong  Child ;  Mistaking  the 
Spiritual  State  of  Others;  Seeking  to  Learn  a  Scholar's  Needs; 
Helping  a  Scholar  to  the  Right  Stand. 

IN  all  that  is  done  by  the  Sunday-school  teacher 
for  the  scholars^  of  his  class,  whether  it  be  in  the 
line  of  instruction  or  of  influence,  whether  it  be  in 
the  class  or  outside  of  it,  with  the  scholars  present 
or  with  the  scholars  absent,  the  great  end  and  aim 
of  the  teacher's  work  ought  never  to  be  lost  sight  of; 
on  the  contrary,  all  that  is  done,  or  that  is  attempted, 
should  be  in  the  direction  of  that  end  and  aim,  and 
with  a  desire  to  their  attaining.  It  would  be  a  pity, 
indeed,  if  everything  else  were  attended  to  by  a 
teacher  except  the  one  thing  of  things  which  de- 
served that  teacher's  first  and  chiefest  attention. 
And  now  what  may  fairly  be  counted  the  end  and 
aim  of  Sunday-school  effort  ? 

The  Sunday-school  teacher  comes  to  his  schol- 
ars as  a  representative  of  Christ.  The  end  and  the 


What  Conversion  Means. 


341 


aim  of  the  representative  ought,  surely,  to  be  the 
same  as  the  end  and  the  aim  of  Him  whom  he  repre- 
sents. "To  this  end  Christ  died  and  lived  again, 
that  he  might  be  Lord  of  both  the  dead  and  the  liv- 
ing." To  this  end  the  Sunday-school  teacher  comes 
from  Christ  to  the  scholars,  that  they  may  be  fully 
submissive  to  him  who  would  be  Lord  of  both-  the 
dead  and  the  living,  and  that  they  may  be  conformed 
to  his  image,  through  faith.  The  Beloved  Disciple 
declares  his  aim,  as  a  representative  of  Christ,  in  all 
that  he  has  shown  of  the  words  and  works  of  his 
Master, — and  that  aim  should  be  the  aim  of  every 
loved  and  loving  disciple  of  Christ  in  all  that  he 
shows  of  those  words  and  works.  "  These  are  writ- 
ten," says  John,  "  that  ye  may  believe  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  Grod;  and  that  believing  ye 
may  have  life  through  his  name."  The  bringing  of 
the  scholars  into  the  faith  and  the  likeness  of  Jesus, 
is  the  only  proper  end  and  aim  of  the  Sunday-school 
teacher's  endeavors. 

It  is  sometimes  said,  it  is  in  fact  very  often  said, 
that  the  scholars'  "  conversion  "  is  the  great  end  and 
aim  of  all  Sunday-school  effort;  but  that  is  more 
than  an  imperfect  way  of  stating  the  truth :  it  is  a 
vague  and,  moreover,  an  erroneous  method  of  state- 
ment. In  the  first  place,  as  this  phrase  is  commonly 
employed,  the  error  is  made  of  confounding  "  con- 
version "  with  "  regeneration."  The  primary  mean- 
ing of  conversion  is  the  new  turning,  the  voluntary 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 

Helping 

Scholars  10 

Christian 

Decision. 


John's  aim. 


Conversion 
not  the  end. 


342 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


Conversion  is 
not  regenera- 
tion. 


Christ,  or 
conversion  ? 


turning,  of  one's  mind  to  a  truth  which  that  person 
has  before  rejected  or  ignored.  Regeneration  is  a 
new  birth.  Conversion  may  be  the  direct  work  of 
man.  One  man  may  convert  another  by  influencing 
his  reason  and  convictions ;  or,  again,  a  man  may 
convert  himself,  by  turning  to  the  truth,  without 
another's  aid.  Regeneration  is  peculiarly  of  God. 
Only  the  Holy  Spirit  can  breathe  new  life  into  a 
dead  soul.  A  man  may  be  often  converted  from 
one  truth  to  another — or,  rather,  from  one  error  after 
another  to  the  truth  which  the  error  opposes.  He 
may  be  converted  to  one  truth,  and  not  to  another. 
Regeneration  is  once  for  all.  It  is  a  complete  trans- 
formation. A  devout  Christian  may  be  converted 
to  a  new  view  of  truth.  Many  a  Christian  is  thus 
converted  year  after  year  to  successive  doctrines,  the 
truth  of  which  he  before  failed  to  realize.  But  a 
person  who  is  regenerate  cannot  be  regenerated  over 
and  over  again. 

In  consequence  of  this  so  common  confusion  of 
terms,  many  a  teacher  is  more  anxious  to  learn  if  a 
scholar  has  been  converted,  than  to  learn  if  that 
scholar  believes  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  his 
Saviour.  And  if  on  an  examination  a  scholar  gives 
satisfactory  evidence  that  at  a  certain  time  he  was 
converted,  that,  in  the  opinion  of  many  an  examiner, 
settles  the  case  for  him.  It  is  an  "  end  of  work  "  in 
his  behalf.  It  matters  little  what  he  seems  to  think 
of  Christ.  His  conversion  being  sound,  he  is  saved 


Conversion  Made  a  Stumbling-Slock. 


343 


— saved  by  conversion,  rather  than  by  Christ.  So 
conversion  comes  to  stand  in  such  a  case,  not  only 
for  regeneration,  but  for  salvation — even  for  Christ 
himself.  Christ  is  lost  sight  of,  overshadowed, 
through  the  undue  prominence  given  to  the  fact  of 
conversion. 

This  is  not  an  overstatement  of  the  error  in  ques- 
tion. On  every  side  are  evidences  of  the  mistake 
and  its  consequences.  Members  of  many  a  Sunday- 
school  who  might  be  desirous  of  being  received  into 
full  church-membership,  would  be  inquired  of,  not 
so  much  on  the  point  whether  they  now  love  and 
trust  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  on  the  point,  when  they 
were  converted — or,  as  the  questioner,  perhaps, 
would  put  it,  when  they  were  born  anew;  not  so 
much  concerning  the  evidence  which  their  present 
course  furnishes  of  their  fidelity  to  their  divine 
Master,  as  concerning  the  evidence  they  can  sup- 
ply that  their  conversion  was  a  sound  and  a 
thorough  one.  In  this  way  many  young  disciples 
are  taught  to  look  within  at  themselves,  rather  than 
outward  and  upward  at  their  Saviour.  And  gradu- 
ally, in  many  cases,  the  pre-eminent  question  with 
them  comes  to  be — not,  "Is  my  Saviour  to  be 
trusted  ?  "  but — "  Was  my  conversion  unmistak- 
able ?  "  If  they  have  conscious  peace,  it  rests  on 
the  fact  of  their  conversion,  rather  than  on  their 
Saviour's  promises.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are 
in  doubt,  it  is  because  they  fear  there  was  some  flaw 


PART  H. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


Looking  in 
the  wrong 
direction. 


344 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


Saved  as 
by  fire. 


Our  Lord's 
way. 


in  their  conversion,  not  because  they  are  unwilling 
to  accept  of  freely  proffered  salvation  in  Christ. 

Because  of  this  wrong  way  of  looking  at  and  of  talk- 
ing about  the  fact  of  conversion,  there  are  very  many 
Christian  children  in  our  Sunday-schools  who  are 
kept  back  from  an  open  confession  of  their  faith  in 
Jesus  by  their  uncertainty  concerning  the  time  or 
manner  of  their  conversion.  And  many  even  of 
those  in  our  Christian  congregations  who  have  gone 
out  from  the  Sunday-school  under  the  influence  of 
this  error  are,  in  consequence  of  it,  living  without  the 
advantages  of  full  church-membership,  when  they 
ought  to  be  in  the  enjoyment  of  them.  They  have 
a  trembling  faith  in  Jesus,  and  they  strive  humbly  to 
keep  his  commandments ;  but  they  have  no  assurance 
of  their  own  conversion.  Conversion  seems  to  be 
counted  the  great  thing,  while  they  have  nothing 
better  than  faith  in  Christ  to  cling  to ;  so  they  are 
living  without  a  well-defined  hope  of  salvation.  They 
indeed,  "  shall  be  saved,  yet  so  as  by  fire." 

The  doctrine  of  a  new  birth  was  never  given 
prominence  in  any  apostolic  appeal  to  the  uncon- 
verted. Our  Lord  did  not  preach  it  to  the  common 
people.  His  only  mention  of  it  was  made  in  a  talk 
by  night  with  a  theological  professor  on  the  phi- 
losophy of  salvation.  It  has  been  sadly  perverted  by 
being  thrust  in  the  face  of  young  children,  or  of 
older  unrepentant  sinners,  as  if  it  were  something 
which  limited  their  personal  duty  or  barred  their 


Urging  the  Wrong  Child. 


34f 


privileges.  It  has  been  made  a  barrier  and  a  stum- 
bling-block to  those  who  would  enter  the  service  of 
Christ.  Conversion  has  been  given  a  place  in  the 
plan  of  salvation  which  only  Christ  should  occupy. 
And  the  eyes  of  loving  little  ones,  or  of  longtng 
penitents,  have  been  directed  away  from  the  living 
Saviour  to  a  single  fact  in  God's  process  of  redemp- 
tion. 

What  if  a  teacher  in  a  week-day  school,  starting 
out  with  the  assumption  that  every  child  must  learn 
to  read  as  preliminary  to  all  other  learning,  should 
begin  and  end  his  teaching-work  day  after  day  with 
talks  on  the  importance  of  being  able  to  read,  and 
with  earnest  appeals  to  his  scholars  to  secure  that 
knowledge  without  farther  delay.  "Would  this  be 
better  than  waste,  if  all  his  scholars  had  learned  to 
read  before  they  came  to  his  school  ?  Calls  to  enlist, 
in  war  time,  are  an  all-important  preparation  for 
active  campaigning  against  the  enemy ;  and  he  who 
would  be  a  good  soldier  must  first  decide  to  serve 
under  the  government  which  asks  for  defenders. 
But  how  much  worse  than  folly  it  would  be  for  an 
old  army  officer  to  take  a  squad  of  new  recruits  and 
spend  all  his  time  urging  them  to  enlist !  They 
have  enlisted.  Their  need  now  is  uniform  and 
rations  and  instruction  and  drilling.  His  duty  is  to 
assign  them  to  service,  and  to  show  them  how  to  do 
it.  If  he  fails  in  this,  he  not  only  deprives  the  gov- 
ernment of  what  they  might  do  for  it,  but  he  stands 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's  » 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


A  call  out 
of  time. 


346 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 

Helping 

Scholars  to 

Christian 

Decision. 


Mistaken 
about  others. 


in  the  way  of  their  soldierly  growth  and  efficiency. 
So  it  is  with  teachers  who  are  urging  Christian  chil- 
dren to  become  Christians ;  who  tearfully  plead  with 
little  ones  to  accept  salvation  to-day,  when  they  really 
accepted  it  yesterday,  or  a  year  since,  or  five  years 
ago,  or  more ;  perhaps  before  they  can  remember. 

It  is  a  very  easy  thing  to  be  mistaken  about  the 
religious  status  and  the  spiritual  condition  of  those 
about  us,  even  those  in  whom  we  have  a  very  deep 
interest.  The  prophet  Elijah  thought  he  knew  all 
about  the  people  of  Israel.  He  was  thoroughly  reli- 
gious himself;  and  he  saw  so  much  of  godlessness  on 
every  side  of  him,  that  he  concluded  he  was  all  alone 
in  the  kingdom  in  his  devotion  to  Israel's  God.  But 
God  assured  him  that  he  was  wofully  mistaken,  and 
that  at  that  very  time  there  were  thousands  of  the 
Israelites  who  were  true-hearted  in  their  fidelity  to 
Jehovah.  The  apostle  Peter  thought  he  understood 
all  the  limits  which  included  God's  people ;  but  a 
heavenly  vision  informed  him  that  there  were  man^ 
persons  accepted  of  God  who  were  not  commonly 
recognized  as  within  those  limits.  And  the  Sunday, 
school  teachers  of  to-day  ought  to  understand  that 
it  is  by  no  means  safe  to  say  that  because  a  child 
has  not  yet  "joined  the  church,"  or  professed  "  con- 
version," he  is  therefore  not  a  Christian.  There  are 
children  of  faith-filled  parents  who  have  been  conse- 
crated to  Christ  in  faith-filled  prayer  from  their  birth, 
and  who  have  been  taught  from  their  earliest  knowl- 


Unrecognized  Christians. 


447 


edge  to  love  and  trust  Jesus  with  all  their  hearts. 
They  were  never  so  actively  in  the  service  of  Satan 
that  they  had  any  conscious  struggle  in  leaving 
that  service.  Through  the  influencing  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  they  were  brought  into  the  hearty  service 
of  Christ  before  they  had  ever  made  a  positive  cam- 
paign against  his  cause.  They  cannot  tell  precisely 
when  they  were  regenerated.  They  have  no  "  experi- 
ences" of  conversion  to  relate.  And  they  have  not 
supposed  themselves  yet  old  enough  to  make  a  public 
confession  of  their  faith  by  an  open  uniting  with  the 
church  ;  perhaps  they  have  never  been  asked  to  do 
this,  and  are  not  wanted  to  do  it.  But  all  this 
makes  them  no  less  truly  Christians,  no  less  really 
regenerate  children  of  God,  than  are  their  godly 
parents,  or  their  devoted  teachers,  or  their  conse- 
crated pastors.  And  there  are  other  children  less 
favored  than  these,  who  quietly  surrendered  them- 
selves to  Jesus  on  the  first  appeal  to  come  to  him  in 
faith,  and  who  have  since  then  been  living  lives  of 
faith  andprayer,  without  either  "joining  the  church  " 
or  professing  conversion.  They  are  Christians  as 
certainly  as  were  any  disciples  in  the  early  Church  or 
in  the  later;  and  any  fair  test  of  discipleship  would 
show  on  which  side  of  the  line  they  are.  Christian 
children  who  are  not  recognized  as  such,  are,  doubt- 
less, in  our  Christian  homes  and  in  our  Christian 
Sunday-schools,  to  the  number  of  thousands  and 
tens  of  thousands  throughout  our  land  to-day ;  and 


PART  II. 

The 

'^eaciier'g 
other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


Trusting 
disciples. 


348 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

Th« 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 

Helping 

Scholars  to 

Christian 

Decision. 


Offending 
a  little  one. 


Testing  a 
scholars 
position. 


it  is  a  sin  and  a  shame  to  ignore  their  Christian  faith, 
or  to  throw  discredit  on  it  by  intimating  to  them 
that  they  are  not  at  heart  the  followers  of  Jesus.  If 
they  are  lacking  in  any  Christian  duty,  tell  them  so. 
If  they  ought  now  to  join  the  church,  give  them  to 
understand  that.  But  never,  never  offend  them  by 
addressing  them  as  those  who  do  not  believe  in 
Jesus.  If  you  do  this,  you  do  it  at  the  risk  of  His 
displeasure  who  has  said  :  "  Whoso  shall  oifend  one 
of  these  little  ones  which  believe  in  me,  it  were  bet- 
ter for  him  that  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  that  he  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the 
sea." 

Although  a  teacher  may  well  be  cautious  in 
judging  the  spiritual  condition  of  his  scholars  in- 
dividually, on  the  imperfect  knowledge  which  is  his 
at  the  best,  he  has  a  right,  and  it  is  his  duty,  to 
seek  to  learn  the  truth  concerning  each  scholar's 
position  with  reference  to  the  truth  of  truths,  and  to 
aid  in  bringing  to  the  act  of  Christian  decision  those 
of  his  scholars  who  have  not  yet  taken  that  impor- 
tant step.  It  is  needful  that  every  teacher  know 
enough  about  the  state  of  his  scholars  to  understand 
whether  or  not  they  may  be  fairly  counted  as  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus;  whether,  indeed,  they  are  to  be 
addressed  as  impenitent  and  unforgiven  sinners,  or 
as  young  Christians.  To  ascertain  the  truth  on  this 
point  in  any  particular  case  requires  delicacy  and 
discernment  on  the  teacher's  part.  He  must  know 


The  Proof  of  a  Soul's  Life. 


349 


the  scholar's  home  surroundings  and  teaching.  He 
must  study  to  know  the  scholar  himself  through  and 
through.  And  in  all  his  questioning  and  observing 
he  must  ask  and  expect  that  wisdom  which  God  is 
ready  to  bestow  upon  his  representatives,  to  enable 
them  to  decide  such  a  question  wisely.  Does  the 
scholar  realize  that  he  is  a  sinner ;  that  he  needs  a 
Saviour;  that  Jesus  is  the  only  Saviour — the  Saviour 
of  all  who  trust  themselves  to  him  in  conscious  need 
and  in  clinging  faith  ?  Does  he  trust  Jesus  as  his 
Saviour?  Is  he  evidencing  his  faith  by  his  works — 
his  belief  by  his  daily  conduct?  The  answers  to 
these  inquiries  will  give  a  great  deal  better  evidence 
on  the  point  in  question  than  any  recital  of  a  religious 
"  experience  "  on  such  a  child's  part  could  supply. 
It  is  far  more  important  to  you  to  find  out  whether 
or  not  that  child  is  in  Christ,  than  to  find  outrthe 
story  of  his  conversion.  Even  if  the  date  of  his  new 
birth  cannot  be  fixed,  for  an  entry  in  your  class 
record,  or  on  your  home  diary,  so  long  as  he  gives 
full  signs  that  he  is  alive  in  Christ,  you  need  never 
doubt  that  he  was  newly  born  into  Christ.  The 
proof  of  a  soul's  life  is  better  than  the  proof  of  a 
soul's  birthday. 

If,  indeed,  a  teacher  is  convinced  that  a  scholar 
of  his  charge  is  not  yet  a  believing  disciple  of  Jesus, 
the  question  recurs  to  the  teacher, — How  can  I  best 
help  this  scholar  to  the  step  of  Christian  decision  ? 
or,  How  can  I  help  him  to  believe  in  Jesus  as  his 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


Does  he 
trust? 


How  to  help 


350 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


A  private 
interview. 


Danger  In 
mere  feeling 


Saviour,  and  to  give  evidence  that  his  faith  is  living 
and  potent  ?  To  bring  a  scholar  to  a  prompt  decis- 
ion for  the  right,  the  teacher  would  do  well  to  see 
the  scholar  by  himself.  He  cannot  commonly  talk 
with  him  as  freely  as  is  desirable,  in  the  class,  before 
others.  On  this  account  there  is  sometimes  a  gai» 
in  a  brief  inquiry-meeting  at  the  close  of  the  Sun 
day-school  hoar,  when  the  teachers  can  talk  indi* 
vidually  and  familiarly  with  those  scholars  who  need 
to  be  helped  to  a  Christian  decision.  Some  teachers 
visit  the  homes  of  their  scholars  daring  the  week  for 
the  express  purpose  of  being  alone  with  them  in  con- 
versation and  prayer  about  a  decision  for  Christ.  I 
knew  a  teacher  who  had  a  class  of  twenty-five  schol- 
ars. Two  of  them  were  already  Christian  disciples. 
She  visited  the  others,  one  by  one,  in  their  homes, 
and  within  one  year  the  entire  twenty-three  were  led 
to  take  the  step  of  Christian  decision.  And  she  was 
only  one  teacher  among  many  I  could  name.  Other 
teachers  invite  their  scholars  to  their  homes  for  a 
similar  purpose.  The  teacher's  judgment  as  to  the 
better  plan  in  particular  cases,  is  ordinarily  a  safer 
guide  than  any  arbitrary  rule  would  prove. 

It  is  certainly  not  a  good  plan  to  stir  the  emotions 
of  impenitent  scholars  by  any  earnest  appeals,  in  the 
class  or  from  the  desk,  or  in  a  Sunday-school  prayer- 
meeting,  without  giving  the  scholars  thus  aroused  a 
specific  and  an  immediate  opportunity  to  decide  at 
once  for  the  right.  If  scholars  are  moved  to  strong 


Knowing  the  Special  Need. 


351 


feeling  concerning  their  spiritual  condition  and  needs, 
without  being  called  on  to  take  a  stand  at  once  on 
the  side  of  duty,  they  are  injured,  rather  than  helped, 
through  the  involved  strain  upon  their  feelings.  It 
is  most  unwise  to  be  always  calling  on  the  members 
of  a  class,  or  of  a  school,  to  repent,  to  come  to  Jesus, 
and  to  accept  of  proffered  salvation,  without  giving 
to  them,  at  the  time  of  the  appeal,  an  opportunity  of 
showing  that  they  have  a  sense  of  need,  and  that  they 
are  ready  to  give  themselves  to  the  loving  Saviour's 
service. 

In  fact,  a  teacher  ought  to  understand  whether  or 
not  his  scholars  are  Christians.  For  those  who  are 
not  Christians  he  ought  to  look  confidently  for  that 
grace  from  God  by  which  they  may  be  induced  to 
decide  for  the  right.  He  ought  to  understand  what 
the  step  of  Christian  decision  involves  in  their  case, 
and  then  to  ask  and  expect  and  help  them  to  take 
that  step. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  V. 
Helping 

Scholars  to 
Christian 
Decision. 


The  act  of 

decision. 


The  source 
of  aid. 


352 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Rounding 
out  the  work. 


VI. 
COUNSELING  AND  AIDING  AT  ALL  TIMES. 

General  Duties  of  a  Teacher;  The  Sunday-school  in  the  Plan  of 
God  ;  The  Family,  the  School,  and  the  Pulpit ;  Advantages  of  the 
School  over  Family  and  Pulpit;  The  Clergyman  over  All;  Help- 
ing Scholars  in  Secular  Concerns;  Helping  into  the  Ministry; 
Duties  Never  Conflict;  Guiding  a  Scholar's  Reading;  Caring  for 
Christian  Scholars ;  A  Lesson  from  the  Looms ;  The  Final  Judg- 
ment. 

ABOVE  and  beyond  all  specific  and  direct  endeav* 
ors  of  the  Sunday-school  teacher  to  instruct,  to  in- 
fluence, to  manage,  and  to  guide  spiritually,  the 
scholars  of  his  class,  there  are  important  general 
duties,  growing  out  of  the  relation  of  teacher  and 
scholars  in  the  Sunday-school,  which  ought  not  to 
be  lost  sight  of  by  the  teacher,  and  which,  by  their 
recognition  and  performance,  tend  to  round  out,  and 
to  make  permanently  effective  and  complete,  the 
entire  work  of  the  teacher  in  every  department  of 
his  effort  for  his  scholars'  good.  To  the  full  under- 
standing of  the  nature  and  scope  of  these  duties,  it 
is  essential  that  a  Sunday-school  teacher  should 
realize  the  authorization  and  validity  of  the  Divinely- 


Origin  of  the  Sunday-School. 


353 


sanctioned  relation  between  himself  and  the  scholars 
who  are  committed  to  his  charge  in  the  Sunday- 
school. 

If,  indeed,  a  teacher  feels  that  that  relation  is 
merely  one  of  convenience,  or  of  happening,  and 
that  it  is  outside  of  and  apart  from  the  Divinely- 
authorized  agencies  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  train- 
ing of  the  race,  he  is  likely  to  give  it  a  minor  place, 
in  comparison  with  what  he  deems  the  more  impor- 
tant and  legitimate  instrumentalities  for  shaping  the 
character  and  destiny  of  immortal  souls.  But  if  he 
sees  in  that  relation  a  linking  agency  between  the 
Family  and  the  Pulpit,  originally  approved  and 
directed  of  God,  and  if  he  clearly  understands  that, 
as  a  teacher,  he  has  a  distinct  sphere  of  responsi- 
bility and  action,  as  legitimate  and  as  definite,  after 
its  kind,  as  is  the  sphere  of  parent  or  of  pastor, — at 
once  his  work  is  uplifted  into  a  new  and  larger 
prominence,  and  he  is  prepared  to  recognize  the 
various  and  ever-pressing  duties  which  inevitably 
grow  out  of  such  a  relation,  and  which  can  neither 
be  slighted  nor  be  evaded  with  impunity.  Hence  it 
becomes  a  vital  matter  to  gain  a  clear  conception  of 
the  underlying  basis  of  the  Sunday-school  teacher's 
relation  to  his  scholars,  in  the  plan  of  God  and  in 
the  methods  of  the  Christian  Church. 

The  Sunday-school  agency,  in  its  present  form  and 
under  its  present  name,  is  hardly  more  than  a  century 
old;  but  just  so  far  as  it  stands  for,  or  is  accepted 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 

and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


A  linking 
agency 


354 


Teachina  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Forty 

centuries 

old. 


What  the 
family  might 
have  been. 


as,  the  religious-school,  or  the  Church-school,  in  any 
community,  or  in  the  policy  and  methods  of  any 
branch  of  the  Church  of  God,  it  represents  an  agency 
which  is  more  than  forty  centuries  old ;  an  agency 
which  antedates  by  twenty  centuries  the  Pulpit  as  a 
distinct  and  permanent  agency;  an  agency  which 
is  the  junior  only  of  the  Family,  and  which  has  a 
like  stamp  of  God's  approval  with  both  Family  and 
Pulpit,  between  which  it  stands  in  the  Divine 
economy. 

In  the  beginning,  God  committed  to  the  Family 
the  religious  training  of  the  race,  and  for  the  first 
fifteen  centuries  or  more  no  agency  of  God  shared 
with  the  Family  the  responsibility  and  the  privileges 
of  that  exalted  mission.  Had  the  Family  fully  filled 
its  place,  had  every  father  and  mother  been  faith- 
filled  and  faithful  in  his  or  her  sphere,  there  would, 
perhaps,  have  been  no  need  of  another  agency  for 
the  right  training  and  the  wise  instruction  of  chil- 
dren. But  the  Family  did  not  prove  thus  compe- 
tent, by  all  parents  proving  thus  faithful;  on  the 
contrary,  it  so  far  failed  as  a  suflicient  agency  for  its 
original  high  purpose,  through  the  sin  of  the  first 
parents  and  of  those  who  came  after  them,  that  the 
whole  race  became  corrupt,  and — as  God  himself 
chooses  to  put  it — God  repented  that  he  had  made 
man ;  and  he  swept  the  race  from  being,  save  a  single 
godly  household  to  bridge  over  the  chasm  of  ruin. 
Beginning  again  with  his  plans  for  man's  training, 


Insufficiency  of  the  Family. 


355 


God  selected  Abraham  as  the  founder  of  a  new 
people ;  and  in  this  new  beginning  God  did  not  shut 
up  man's  destiny  within  the  scope  of  the  Family  alone; 
but  he  approved  and  established  the  Church-school 
as  a  co- working  agency  with  the  Family  for  the  right 
rearing  of  the  race.  Abraham  was  a  teacher  before 
he  was  a  father.  He  had  at  least  three  hundred  and 
eighteen  instructed,  or  catechized,  scholars  in  his 
household  before  he  had  a  child  of  his  own.  God 
declared  of  Abraham  that  he  was  a  man  who  would 
train,  not  only  his  children,  but  his  household, — his 
whole  tribe,  as  that  term  meant  in  those  patriarchal 
days, — in  the  theory  and  practice  of  religion.  Fol- 
lowing out  his  plans  for  the  reformation  and  the 
right  training  of  man,  God  directed  a  recognition  of 
the  Church-school  in  its  co-work  with  the  Family, 
and  it  was  just  as  explicitly  commanded  by  him, 
under  the  Mosaic  economy,  that  all  parents  should 
bring  their  children  to  the  gatherings  of  the  people 
in  the  Church-school,  as  it  was  that  those  parents 
should  teach  their  children  faithfully  in  their  homes. 
Moreover,  it  was  distinctly  declared  that  the  object 
of  this  gathering  of  the  children  into  the  Church- 
school  was  in  order  that  the  incompleteness  of  the 
Family  might  be  supplemented  by  the  teachings  of 
the  School ;  that  the  "  children  which  have  not 
known  anything  [through  Family  religious  instruc- 
tion] may  hear  and  learn  [in  the  Church-school]  to 
fear  the  Lord."  And  from  that  day  to  this  the 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Abrahai 
school. 


school. 


356 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 

Counseling 

and  Aiding 

at  all  Times. 


Jehosha- 
phat's  school 


Ezra's 
school. 


The 
•ynaerogue- 

BCilOOl. 


Family  has  never  been  entitled  to  claim  for  itself,  in 
the  plan  of  God,  the  exclusive  responsibility  for,  or 
the  charge  of,  the  religious  instruction  and  influen- 
cing of  the  children. 

In  one  form  or  another,  the  Church-school  has 
had  its  existence  from  the  days  of  Moses  until  its 
latest  and  most  efficient  development  in  the  modern 
Sunday-school — which  is  now  practically  accepted  as 
the  approved  form  of  this  agency  in  well-nigh  every 
branch  of  the  Church  of  God.  The  Levites  were  as 
Sunday-school  missionaries,  in  the  days  of  Jehosha- 
phat,  when,  at  his  command,  "  they  taught  in  Judah, 
and  had  the  book  of  the  law  of  the  Lord  with  them, 
and  went  about  throughout  all  the  cities  of  Judah, 
and  taught  the  people."  So,  again,  in  the  days  of 
Josiah  and  of  Nehemiah.  The  very  names  of  the 
superintendent  and  teachers,  and  the  precise  order  of 
exercises,  of  a  Church-school,  or  a  Bible-school,  or  a 
Sunday-school  as  it  would  now  be  called,  four  centu- 
ries and  a  half  before  the  days  of  our  Lord,  are  fully 
recorded  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  Book  of  ^Tehe- 
miah.  The  Jewish  Rabbins  show  us  that,  from  the 
earliest  days  of  the  synagogue,  the  second  service  of 
the  synagogue  was  a  gathering  for  Bible  study,  with 
teachers  and  classes  clustering  for  social  exercises  in 
the  form  of  free  questioning  and  answering.  "  Beth- 
Midrash  " — the  House  of  Searching — they  called 
that  service  in  olden  time.  We  call  it  a  Sunday- 
school.  There  is  every  reason  for  supposing  that 


Requirement  of  the  Great  Commission. 


857 


it  was  in  such  a  school  as  this  that  Jesus  was  found 
by  his  parents,  in  the  temple-courts,  when  he  was 
twelve  years  of  age,  where  he  was  sitting  before  the 
teachers  "  both  hearing  them  and  asking  them  ques- 
tions," as  was  the  custom  with  children  of  his  age 
in  that  day.  The  Talmud  informs  us  that  there 
were  four  hundred  and  eighty  separate  synagogues  in 
Jerusalem,  in  the  days  of  its  glory ;  and  the  Rabbins' 
claim  is  that  Jerusalem  was  destroyed  because  the 
schools  in  conjunction  with  these  synagogues  were 
neglected. 

The  distinctive  features  of  the  Church-school, 
from  its  inception  until  now,  have  been  the  group- 
ing of  teacher  and  scholars  in  classes,  the  social 
study  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  pursuit  of  reli- 
gious knowledge  by  the  method  of  question  and 
answer.  Our  Saviour  and  his  disciples  pursued  the 
work  of  "  teaching"  in  this  way,  as  well  as  of 
"  preaching."  The  one  form  of  the  Great  Commis- 
sion which  is  accepted  as  genuine  beyond  dispute, 
enjoins  it  upon  Christ's  Church  to  "  make  scholars" 
of  all  who  are  brought  under  its  control  through 
baptism;  and  the  prominence  given  to  the  "cate- 
chists "  or  the  questioning  teachers,  and  to  the 
"catechumens"  or  the  questioned  and  answering 
scholars,  in  the  early  Church,  is  in  accordance  with 
the  requirements  of  the  Great  Commission.  And 
6O  it  has  been,  to  a  greater  or  lesser  degree,  from  the 
times  of  Abraham  and  Moses  to  our  times.  The 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Schools 
neglected. 


School 
essentials* 


358 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Parents  still 
responsible. 


Family, 
School  and 
Pulpit. 


Church-school  has  had  a  place  in  the  plan  of  God, 
and  God's  people  have  not  ignored  that  fact  in  the 
Divine  economy. 

In  giving  to  the  race  the  Sunday-school,  God  did 
not,  by  any  means,  abrogate  the  Family ;  nor  did  he 
diminish  aught  of  its  sphere  and  power.  All  the 
responsibility  which  before  rested  on  parents  for 
their  children  rests  on  them  still,  together  with  the 
added  responsibility  of  bringing  their  children  also 
under  the  influence  of  the  Church-school, — or  the 
Sunday-school,  as  we  call  it, — as  the  Divinely- 
ordained  supplement,  or  complement,  of  the  Family, 
for  the  religious  training  of  the  race.  No  parent  can 
throw  parental  responsibility  over  on  to  the  Sunday- 
school  ;  nor  can  any  parent  properly  claim  the 
ability  to  get  on  in  the  religious  training  of  his  or 
her  children  without  the  aid  of  God's  added  agency 
of  the  Sunday-school.  Not  the  Family  without  the 
School,  nor  yet  the  School  without  the  Family,  but  the 
Family  and  the  School,  must  be  looked  to  by  parents 
who  would  train  their  children  in  God's  service  ac- 
cording to  God's  method.  Still  later,  in  God's  plan, 
say  in  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist,  the  Pulpit — in 
its  permanent  and  distinctive  form — was  added,  with 
its  crowning  work  for  the  welfare  of  the  race ;  for 
prior  to  that  period,  the  mission  of  the  preacher,  or 
of  the  prophet,  had  been  an  occasional,  rather  than  a 
continuous,  one.  And  now  the  Family,  the  School, 
and  the  Pulpit,  are  the  three  agencies  of  the  Church; 


Advantages  of  the  Sunday-School. 


359 


not,  as  is  so  commonly  said,  the  Family,  the  School, 
and  the  Church ;  but  the  Family,  the  School,  and 
the  Pulpit; — for  the  Church  includes  these  three  as 
its  separate  and  co- working  agencies ; — for  the  rear- 
ing and  training  of  each  child  in  the  faith  and  in  "the 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  full-grown  man, 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of 
Christ." 

The  Sunday-school,  as  the  Church-school,  has  its 
specific  advantages,  in  its  sphere,  over,  or  in  addition 
to,  the  Family  on  the  one  hand  and  the  Pulpit  on 
the  other,  in  thfe  work  of  child-teaching  and  of  child- 
influencing.  The  advantage  over  the  Family,  is  in 
what  may  be  called  the  lateral  forces  which  are 
brought  to  bear  on  the  child  in  his  class-training  in 
the  Sunday-school.  The  Family  cannot  supply  a 
group  of  five,  ten,  twenty,  or  more,  children  of  the 
same  age,  to  stimulate  each  other,  to  sympathize 
with  each  other,  and  to  aid  and  impress  each  other, 
as  the  Sunday-school  can.  Every  observing  Chris- 
tian parent  has  had  reason  to  notice,  that  when  his 
most  carefully  trained  children  return  from  the 
Sunday-school,  they  are  likely  to  be  telling  of  some- 
thing which  they  have  gained  there  as  if  it  were 
utterly  new,  although  that  same  fact  or  teaching  had 
been  repeatedly  stated  to  those  children  by  their 
parents;  and  a  closer  examination  into  the  reason 
of  this  apparent  gain  shows,  that  it  was  because  the 
child  had  now  obtained  a  new  understanding  of,  or 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


What  the 
Family  can- 
not supply. 


360 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


The  power  of 
social  forces. 


a  new  interest  in,  this  matter,  through  learning  it 
from  or  with  a  companion,  or  a  number  of  compan- 
ions, by  his  side. 

Every  college  student  knows  that  his  college  edu- 
cation is  largely  shaped  hy  his  college-mates,  as  truly 
as  by  his  college-instructors.  Every  member  of  a 
community  of  any  sort  knows,  that  those  teachings 
and  influences  which  come  from  his  associates  and 
fellows  in  that  community  are  quite  as  real  arid  quite 
as  potent  as  those  which  come  to  him  directly  from 
the  government  and  head  of  that  community.  No 
person,  young  or  old,  can  be  completely  trained  or 
guided  from  above.  He  is  peculiarly  susceptible  to 
the  forces  which  are  brought  to  bear  on  him  from 
his  either  side;  and  those  lateral  forces  must  be 
taken  into  account  by  all  who  have  a  responsibility 
for  his  final  shaping.  The  plastic  mass  may  indeed 
be  pressed  into  its  mould  from  above,  and  all  the 
active  pressure  upon  it  may  seem  to  come  from  that 
direction ;  but  it  is  from  the  sides  of  the  surrounding 
mould  that  that  mass  takes  its  ultimate  and  perma- 
nent shaping.  So  in  the  mental  and  moral  world, 
as  truly  as  in  the  material.  It  is  not  possible  for  the 
Family  to  furnish  all  the  forces  which  go  to  complete* 
and  perfect  the  mental  and  moral  shaping  of  the  child. 
God  gives  to  the  parent  the  privilege  of  selecting  the 
School-mould  which  shall  supply  the  lateral  pressure 
desirable ;  but  God  does  not  give  to  the  parent  the 
privilege  of  doing  without  the  School-mould. 


A  Power  of  Ministering. 


361 


This  truth  has  already  been  Illustrated  at  one  point, 
by  the  mention  of  the  class-unit  idea,  or  the  shaping 
power  of  class-influences  as  such.  It  is  recognized, 
again,  in  the  custom  of  clustering  the  youngest  mem- 
bers of  the  Sunday-school — the  primary  classes — in 
larger  bodies,  so  that  they  can  be  swept  along  by  the 
influence  and  enthusiasm  of  the  general  exercises  in 
which  they  bear  a  part ;  and  while  it  is  important  not 
to  carry  this  idea  to  the  extent  of  neglecting  the  special 
treatment  of  the  individual  scholar,  it  should  ever  be 
borne  in  mind  that  there  is  an  impressing  and  an  edu- 
cating power  to  be  obtained  through  general  exercises 
beyond  all  that  can  be  secured  by  individual  exercises. 

So  far,  with  the  Sunday-school  as  over  against,  or 
as  complemental  to,  the  Family.  In  like  measure 
are  its  advantages,  within  its  sphere,  as  over  against, 
or  in  addition  to,  all  that  the  Pulpit  can  do  for  the 
religious  instruction  and  influencing  of  the  young. 
The  Pulpit  can  reach  and  sway  the  young  and  old 
in  collective  numbers.  It  can  arouse,  inspire,  and 
direct  those  numbers.  But  it  neither  can  teach  every 
individual  hearer  as  an  individual,  according  to  the 
peculiar  characteristics  and  needs  of  that  individual ; 
nor  can  it  personally  minister  in  sympathy  and  coun- 
sel and  aid  to  every  individual  member  of  a  congre- 
gation reached  by  it.  The  Church-school,  or  the 
Sunday-school,  can  secure  both  instruction  and  min- 
istry to  every  person  of  its  membership — both  indi- 
vidual and  class  instruction  and  ministry. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


The  power 
of  general 
exercises. 


What  the 
Pulpit  can 
not  do. 


362 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


The  clergy- 
man over  all 


The  teacher's 
ministry. 


To  guard  against  misunderstanding  at  a  vita) 
point,  it  may  be  well  to  say  just  here,  that  in  speak- 
ing of  the  Pulpit  as  the  third  great  agency  of  the 
Church  for  the  right  rearing  of  the  race,  the  Pulpit 
is  not  considered  as  synonymous  with  the  clergyman, 
the  minister,  the  pastor.  The  clergyman  is  the  dis- 
stinctive  overseer  of  all  branches  of  Church-work  in 
his  assigned  field.  He  represents  the  Church,  which 
in  its  sphere  includes  the  three  co-working  and  inter- 
dependent agencies:  the  Family,  the  School,  and  the 
Pulpit.  It  is  his  mission  to  watch  over  and  direct 
the  shaping  influences  of  all  three  of  these  agencies. 
The  work  of  the  Pulpit  is  but  one  department  of 
the  true  clergyman's  work ;  and  he  makes  a  great 
mistake,  if  he  ignores  his  responsibility  for  the 
Family  and  the  School  as  agencies  for  making  his 
Pulpit  labors  effective  for  the  greatest  good  of  his 
entire  spiritual  charge. 

In  this  view  of  the  fundamental  character  of  the 
Sunday-school,  in  the  plan  of  God  and  in  the  methods 
of  the  Christian  Church,  a  Sunday-school  teacher  has 
the  privilege  and  the  duty  of  recognizing  his  position, 
as  that  of  a  Divinely-appointed  and  a  Church-approved 
agency  for  an  important  share  in  the  instructing,  the 
influencing,  and  the  right  training,  of  the  race.  He 
is,  in  fact,  bound  to  look  upon  the  scholars  of  his 
class  as  persons  committed  to  his  charge  for  a  spe- 
cific ministry,  and  as  those  for  whose  welfare  he  is 
responsible  to  God  and  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  He 


The  True  Teacher's  Mission. 


363 


is  not  to  count  himself  as  in  any  sense  standing  in 
the  place  of  parent  or  of  pastor,  but  he  is  to  count 
himself  as  standing  in  a  place  which  is  as  legitimate, 
and  which  may  be  as  well  defined,  as  the  sphere  of 
parent  or  of  pastor,  in  the  teaching  and  directing  of 
those  over  whom  he  is  set.  He  represents,  not  the 
Family,  not  the  Pulpit,  but  the  School ;  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  School ,  he  is  to  be  all  that  the  term 
teacher,  instructor,  mentor,  counsellor,  helper,  in  the 
best  and  truest  sense,  may  be  made  to  fairly  include. 
His  place  is  a  place  that  neither  parent  nor  pastor 
can  fill.  His  work  is  a  work  that  neither  parent  nor 
pastor  can  perform.  His  relation  to  his  scholars  is 
not  merely  that  of  "teacher"  in  its  narrow  and  more 
technical  sense,  but  also  that  of  "  guide,  philosopher, 
and  friend."  He  owes  to  his  scholars,  not  alone  right 
instruction,  and  wise  managing,  while  they  are  im- 
mediately before  him  as  scholars,  but  affection, 
sympathy,  counsel,  and  aid,  at  all  times  and  wherever 
they  may  be.  Only  in  this  recognition  of  the 
Sunday-school  teacher's  sphere  and  duty,  can  the 
Sunday-school  work  be  what  it  ought  to  be. 

The  best  Sunday-school  teachers  in  city  and  in 
country,  in  larger  schools  and  in  smaller  ones,  are  in 
the  habit  of  having  and  showing  an  interest  in  all  that 
concerns  the  personal  character  and  welfare  of  their 
scholars.  An  instance  has  already  been  cited,  of  a 
teacher  who,  with  twenty-five  scholars,  finds  time  to 
know  their  daily  occupations  and  their  personal 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Guide, 
philosopher, 
and  friend. 


Teachers 
who  do 
their  \rork. 


364 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Record  of 
the  faithful 
ones. 


requirements,  and  constantly  encourages  his  scholars 
to  consult  him  "  as  to  their  daily  troubles,  as  well  as 
their  spiritual  needs."  Such  instances  might  be 
multiplied.  I  could  name  several  teachers,  still 
living,  who  have  watched  over  the  many  scholars  of 
their  Sunday-school  classes  during  a  period  of  not 
less  than  thirty  years.  Some  of  those  scholars  have 
meantime  come  to  be  the  heads  of  families,  have 
gone  into  business  or  into  one  kind  of  employment 
or  another,  have  scattered  literally  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth;  yet  have  never  passed  beyond  the  loving 
sympathy  and  remembrance  of  their  Sunday-school 
teachers ;  and  to  this  day  they  would  say,  one  and 
all,  that  no  counsellor  or  helper  on  earth  had  mean- 
time been  more  real  and  faithful  to  them,  in  all  their 
trials  and  needs,  that  none  had  been  more  frequently 
turned  to,  or  had  proved  readier  with  words  of 
encouragement  or  of  advice,  in  seasons  of  doubt  or 
of  emergency,  than  those  very  teachers.  »I  could  tell 
of  young  men  by  the  score  coming  to  their  Sunday- 
school  teachers,  month  after  month;  and  even  year 
after  year,  for  counsel  and  guidance  in  matters  where 
they  had  no  other  helper  to  the  same  extent  as  they 
were  sure  of  just  there.  And  I  could  tell  again  of 
men  and  women  teachers  by  the  score,  who,  to  my 
personal  knowledge,  have  gone  from  place  to  place, 
again  and  again,  seeking  honorable  employment  for 
the  scholars  of  their  Sunday-school  classes.  I  could, 
point  to  laborers,  factory-hands,  mechanics,  trades- 


Testimony  of  the  Scholars. 


365 


men,  bank-clerks  or  bank-officials,  students,  teachers, 
and  clergymen,  who  confessedly  owe  their  present 
position,  and  their  present  hopes  of  usefulness,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  the  influence  and  endeavors  of  their 
Sunday-school  teachers. 

A  prominent  clergyman  told  me  that  when,  some 
years'  -after  he  had  left  the  Sunday-school,  he  took 
the  step  of  Christian  decision,  and  made  an  open  con- 
fession of  his  faith  in  Christ,  his  former  Sunday- 
school  teacher  wrote  to  him,  rejoicingly,  saying:  "  I 
knew  it  would  come.  You  are  the  last  of  the  class 
to  come  to  the  Saviour.  I  have  never  ceased  to  pray 
for  you  in  faith."  More  than  one  useful  clergyman 
has  told  me  that  his  Sunday-school  teacher  not  only 
turned  his  thoughts  and  afterward  his  life  to  the 
Christian  ministry,  but  also  gave  him  substantial  aid 
in  his  preparation  for  that  life-work.  Many  a  scholar 
now  in  the  Sunday-school  could,  doubtless,  be  turned 
to  the  ministry  by  his  teacher's  counsel,  who,  with- 
out that  counsel,  will  have  no  purpose  or  being  in 
such  a  sphere  of  work  for  the  Master;  and,  doubt- 
less, many  another  scholar's  life-usefulness  and  life- 
destiny  will  hinge  on  his  Sunday-school  teacher's 
measure  of  interest  in  and  of  activity  for  him, 
within  the  proper  sphere  of  a  Sunday-school  teach- 
er's counsel  and  aid  for  his  scholars. 

Of  course,  there  are  limits  to  a  Sunday-school 
teacher's  responsibility,  and  also  to  his  proper  work, 
for  the  scholars  of  his  charge.  A  teacher  cannot  do 


PART  II. 
The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Tiroes. 


Leading  into 
the  ministry. 


366 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  nil  Times. 


Duties  never 
conflict. 


Overseeing  a 

scholar's 

reading. 


everything;  he  ought  not  to  attempt  too  much. 
Duties  never  conflict.  A  teacher  has  no  duty  to  do 
for  his  Sunday-school  scholars,  to  the  neglect  of  his 
well-defined  duties  to  others.  But,  without  neglect- 
ing any  duty  toward  others,  a  Sunday-school  teacher 
can  always  give  sympathy  and  counsel  to  the  schol- 
ars of  his  class,  according  to  his  knowledge  and 
opportunities,  and  to  their  disclosure  of  their  longing 
and  needs;  and  often  he  can  properly  give  help. 
Not  to  speak  in  detail  of  all  the  many  points  at  which 
a  teacher  can  give  counsel  and  aid  to  his  scholars  at 
any  time  and  at  all  times,  one  or  two  points  which  are 
obviously  within  the  scope  of  his  proper  influence 
and  endeavors  may  fairly  be  emphasized. 

Take  the  matter  of  the  scholars'  reading.  How 
many  Sunday-school  teachers  count  themselves  di- 
rectly responsible  for  the  books  which  the  scholars 
of  their  class  select  from  the  Sunday-school  library  ? 
Yet,  on  what  score  can  a  teacher  absolve  himself 
from  responsibility  just  there  ?  The  books  which  a 
scholar  reads  have  a  great  deal  to  do  with  shaping 
— as  well  as  indicating — both  his  tastes  and  his 
character;  the  teacher  who  would  influence  the 
tastes  and  character  of  his  scholar  would  indeed  be 
unwise  if  he  should  ignore  this  means  of  power  in 
that  direction.  And  when  it  comes  to  the  books 
which  the  Sunday-school  itself  supplies  for  the  schol- 
ars' reading,  who  shall  guide  and  aid  the  individual 
scholars  in  their  choice  of  particular  books,  if  not 


Knowing  Books  and  Readers. 


367 


their  own  teachers  ?  Books  which  are  good  for  one 
scholar  are  not  necessarily  good  for  all.  Scholars 
need  wise  counsel  as  to  the  books  best  suited  to  their 
needs ;  their  teachers  ought  to  give  them  that  coun- 
sel freely.  A  teacher  ought  to  know  what  books 
from  the  school-library  his  scholars,  severally,  should 
read ;  and  if  his  scholars  do  not  like  those  books, 
he  has  a  duty  to  cultivate  their  taste  for  them.  A 
teacher  can  do  this.  Many  a  teacher  does  do  this. 
More  teachers  ought  to  do  it.  It  takes  time  and 
effort  to  compass  this.  Of  course  it  does.  All  good 
work  costs  time  and  effort.  But  that  is  no  reason 
for  refusing  to  recognize  its  importance;  nor  yet 
for  seeking  to  evade  its  responsibility. 

A  study  of  the  library  catalogue,  and  an  examina- 
tion of  the  books  of  the  library,  are  a  part  of  a  wise 
Sunday-school  teacher's  preparation  for  his  work 
with  his  class.  Knowing  what  books  are  in  the 
library,  and  knowing  what  is  in  those  books,  a 
teacher  can  plan,  beforehand,  to  tell  his  scholars 
about  certain  books  which  illustrate  particular  truths 
of  the  lessons  under  study,  or  which  bear  on  the  cir- 
cumstances or  occupation  or  needs  of  the  scholars  per- 
sonally, or  which  otherwise  are  timely.  He  can  thus 
so  interest  his  scholars  in  the  contents  of  those  books, 
as  to  attract  them  to  them  in  advance.  Or,  again,  he 
can  press  the  importance  of  certain  lines  of  reading  for 
his  scholars,  so  that  his  scholars  will  be  ready  to 
read  in  those  directions,  because  of  his  counsel  ao- 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Cultivating 
the  taste. 


Studying  the 
cataloi 


logue. 


368 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 

Counseling 

and  Aiding 

at  all  Times. 


Prizing  a 
tc-a<  her's 
opinion. 


Not  all  books 
are  for  all. 


cordingly.  In  one  instance,  within  my  knowledge, 
a  teacher  gave  the  boys  of  her  charge  an  earnest 
talk  about  the  influence  of  reading,  good  and  bad, 
and  urged  them  to  be  cautious  as  to  the  character  of 
the  books  which  they  read.  Not  long  after  this,  one 
of  those  boys  was  proffered  the  loan  of  a  book.  He 
was  in  doubt  as  to  its  character.  His  mother  said 
that  she  thought  it  was  all  right.  But  that  did  not 
satisfy  him.  He  wanted  to  know  if  his  teacher 
would  count  it  safe  for  him.  So,  his  mother  sent 
word  to  the  teacher,  asking  her  opinion  of  the  book, 
and  saying,  pleasantly,  that  matters  had  come  to  a 
pretty  pass  when  her  son  had  more  confidence  in  his 
teacher's  opinion  of  a  book  than  in  his  mother's. 
Yet  she  was  too  sensible  a  mother  to  regret  that  a 
teacher  had  so  good  influence  over  her  son  in  the 
direction  of  that  teacher's  intelligent  endeavor.  It 
was  not  that  the  boy  doubted  his  mother ;  but  his 
mother  had  not  taken  so  positive  an  interest  in  his 
reading  as  his  teacher  had  done ;  hence  he  valued 
and  sought  his  teacher's  opinion  at  that  point. 

Every  teacher  has  power  to  influence  his  or  her 
scholars  in  this  matter  of  reading.  Every  teacher 
ought  to  feel  the  responsibility  of  this  power.  It  is 
not  enough  to' say,  that  all  the  books  in  a  Sunday- 
school  are  carefully  selected,  so  as  to  bring  them 
within  the  proper  limits  for  a  scholar's  reading. 
Even  if  no  books  are  in  the  library  which  should 
have  been  kept  out,  it  is  not  wise  to  allow  a  scholai 


After  Conversion,  What? 


369 


to  have  all  his  reading  from  one  kind  of  books,  or  in 
accordance  with  his  tastes  as  they  are — uncultivated, 
if  not  perverted.  If  a  teacher  is  needful  in  any 
department  of  instruction  and  influence,  in  the  Sun- 
day-school sphere,  it  is  certainly  in  the  department  of 
the  scholar's  religious  and  general  reading.  Counsel 
and  aid,  accordingly,  ought  not  to  be  lacking  there. 

Another  point  at  which  the  counsel  and  help  of 
the  Sunday-school  teacher  are  always  important,  is 
the  care  and  guidance  of  Christian  children.  As  has 
been  already  suggested,  it  is  often  said  that  "  the 
conversion  of  the  scholar  is  the  great  end  of  Sunday- 
school  teaching ; "  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  "  con- 
version "  of  the  scholar  is  in  too  many  cases  made 
an  u  end"  of  the  Sunday-school  teacher's  active  and 
prayerful  interest  in  that  scholar's  behalf.  "Con- 
version "  being  secured,  or  the  act  of  Christian  decis- 
ion being  perfected,  the  scholar  is  supposed  to  have 
reached  a  fitness  for  graduation.  It  is  as  if  the 
teacher  were  to  say,  to  each  scholar  who  was  found 
to  be  a  trustful  disciple  of  Jesus :  "  There !  that  is 
enough  for  you.  Move  along.  The  next!"  In 
this  line  of  thought  a  popular  story,  as  first  made 
known  by  a  prominent  Sunday-school  worker,  has 
been  that  of  a  faithful  teacher  who  came  to  her  Sun- 
day-school superintendent  saying,  "  All  of  my  schol- 
ars are  converted.  What  shall  I  do  now  ? "  As  if 
Bible-study  and  Christian  counsel  had  no  place  in 
the  development  and  progress  of  Christ's  followers ! 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Shall  they 
graduate  ? 


370 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teachers 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


The  Devil 
holds  on. 


I  gained  a  lesson  on  this  point  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury ago.  As  a  young  lay-worker,  I  was  addressing 
a  congregation  in  Eastern  Connecticut,  urging  an 
increase  of  effort  in  behalf  of  the  unevangelized 
border-districts  of  the  country  towns  of  that  state.  I 
told  of  the  many  children  there  who  were  yet  out- 
side of  the  Sunday-school ;  and,  in  pressing  the  im- 
portance of  reaching  out  after  them,  I  said :  "  If  the 
Church  of  Christ  doesn't  look  after  these  children, 
the  Devil  will."  When  I  had  concluded  my  appeal, 
the  pastor  of  the  church,  a  quaint  old  preacher,  rose 
and  seconded  my  call  to  renewed  and  enlarged 
activity.  "But  there's  one  thing  more,"  he  said. 
"Our  young  brother  says ,  that  if  the  Church 
doesn't  look  after  these  children,  the  Devil  will.  I 
tell  you,  that  if  the  Church  does  look  after  them  the 
Devil  will.  The  Devil  doesn't  let  go  of  a  child  just 
because  the  Church  takes  hold  of  it.  The  Devil 
doesn't  turn  his  back  on  Sunday-school  children. 
If  you  think  that  the  children  are  in  no  danger  from 
the  Devil  because  you've  got  them  into  the  Sunday- 
school,  you  are  making  a  great  mistake.  The  work 
of  the  Church  for  the  children  hasn't  ended,  it  has 
just  begun, — when  they  are  fairly  in  the  Sunday- 
school."  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  bringing 
of  children  into  the  Church-fold,  as  of  the  bringing 
them  into  the  Sunday-school  gathering.  The  best 
work  in  their  behalf  is  not  ended  then ;  it  is  j  ust 
begun. 


Christians  Have  Claims. 


371 


Surely  those  scholars  who  trust  and  follow  Christ 
have  rights  that  Sunday-school  teachers  are  hound  to 
respect.  They  ought  not  to  he  ignored  in  the  plans 
or  in  the  prayers  of  faithful  teachers.  It  was  riot  of 
godless  and  "  unconverted  "  children,  but  of  trustful 
young  disciples,  that  Jesus  said :  "  Whoso  shall  re- 
ceive one  such  little  child  in  my  name  receiveth  me : 
hut  whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones  which 
believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone 
were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were 
drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea."  Our  Lord  in  all 
his  teachings  and  injunctions  gives  the  foremost 
place  to  loving  ministry  in  behalf  of  those  who 
believe  in  him.  It  is  to  such,  that  a  cup  of  cold 
water  when  given  is  counted  as  a  gift  to  Himself, — 
when  given  "  in  the  name  of  a  disciple/7  and  "  be- 
cause ye  are  Christ's."  If  a  choice  must  be  made, 
if  preference  must  be  accorded,  in  a  Sunday-school 
class,  or  outside  of  a  Sunday-school  class,  those  who 
are  Christ's  have  the^rs^  claim  on  the  representatives 
of  Christ ;  but  there  is  no  need  that  any  other  should 
be  neglected  on  their  account. 

An  army  is  not  given  power  as  an  army,  merely 
by_.new  enlistments.  It  is  the  equipping,  the  arming, 
the  drilling,  the  disciplining,  that  makes  the  soldiers 
effective ;  and  a  veteran  battalion  of  two  hundred 
men,  trained  and  experienced  in  faithful  service,  is 
often  more  effective  in  the  crisis  of  a  buttle,  than  two 
or  three  full  regiments,  of  a  thousand  men  each, 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Unto  be- 
lievers first. 


Value  of 

veterans. 


372 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 

Counseling 

and  Aiding 

at  all  Times. 


Much  fruit. 


Un  cared  for, 
now. 


made  up  of  raw  recruits  and  inexperienced  officers, 
would  prove.  So  it  is  in  the  Christian  army. 
Trained  and  veteran  soldiers  are  needed  for  the 
great  Captain's  efficient  service.  It  is  for  the  Sun- 
day-school teacher  to  equip  and  train  the  Christian 
soldiers  of  his  class,  for  the  highest  possible  efficiency. 
u  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,"  says  Jesus,  4<that 
ye  bear  much  fruit;  "  not  merely  that  the  branches 
have  a  bare  attachment  to  the  Vine,  but  that  they 
are  abundant  in  fruit-bearing.  It  is  because  of  the 
neglect  of  the  ingrafted  branches,  by  the  under- 
gardeners  in  our  Lord's  vineyard,  that  so  many  of 
these  branches  bear  little  fruit  or  none  at  all. 

A  pastor  said,  in  my  hearing,  that  a  young  Chris- 
tian girl  of  his  congregation  was  observed  to  be 
depressed  in  spirits,  and  she  was  asked  the  cause  of 
her  depression.  Her  answer  was,  in  substance: 
"  I'm  almost  sorry  that  I  joined  the  church;  for  now 
no  one  seems  to  care  for  my  soul.  Before  I  was 
*  converted,'  my  teacher  was  always  talking  to  me. 
But  now  that  I've  confessed  Christ,  no  one  has  any- 
thing to  say  to  me  about  religion :  and  I'm  so  lonely." 
Was  there  not  an  offense  against  a  little  one  who 
believed  in  Jesus,  in  that  community  ?  Is  there  no 
other  place  than  that,  where  there  would  seem  to  be 
a  danger  of  clinging  millstones,  to  confront  the  neg- 
lectful Sunday-school  teacher  ? 

Young  Christians  have  peculiar  trials  and  peculiar 
needs.  They  find  the  Christian  life  a  life  of  struggle 


An  Infinite  Work. 


373 


and  of  perils.  Who  does  not  ?  It  is  for  the  Sun- 
day-school teacher  to  recognize  the  necessities  of  the 
Christian  scholars  of  his  class,  and  to  put  himself 
down  alongside  of  them  in  loving  sympathy,  and  to 
give  them  counsel  and  aid  as  Christian  disciples  at 
all  times,  according  to  his  opportunities  and  their 
requirements.  This,  indeed,  is  the  pre-eminent  work 
of  the  Sunday-school  teacher.  This  it  is  which  best 
represents  Christ,  and  which  best  pleases  and  honors 
him,  as  we  are  assured  by  his  own  often-reiterated 
words. 


Looking  at  the  Sunday-school  teacher's  sphere 
and  mission  in  these  various  aspects,  it  is  evident 
that  the  work  which  a  Sunday-school  teacher  is  sum- 
moned to  undertake,  has  a  basis  as  permanent  as  the 
plan  of  God  for  the  welfare  of  the  human  race,  and 
involves  interests  vast  and  limitless  as  eternity  itself. 
The  responsibilities  of  such  a  work  are  infinite,  and 
they  cannot  be  evaded  by  a  refusal  to  accept  them. 
For  the  scholars  whom  a  teacher  has  in  his  charge, 
and  for  the  scholars  whom  any  individual  Christian 
ought  to  have  in  his  charge,  that  teacher  and  that 
individual  Christian  are  responsible  to  God.  The 
evidences  of  that  responsibility,  and  the  manner  of 
its  discharge,  will  be  disclosed  before  the  universe. 
In  the  thought  of  this  truth  every  teacher  ought  to 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


The  best 
service. 


A  teacher's 
responsibil- 
ity. 


374 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


A  lesson  from 
the  looms. 


The  flying 
threads. 


live,  ought  to  work,  ought  to  pray,  and  ought  to 
trust. 

In  the  great  weaving-room  of  a  Connecticut  cotton- 
factory,  one  of  the  largest  mills  of  its  kind  in  the 
world,  more  than  a  thousand  separate  looms  ply 
their  husy  shuttles,  each  loom  tended  by  a  single 
person.  To  stand  in  the  centre  of  that  room,  in  the 
working  hours  of  the  day,  and  see  the  long  lines  of 
looms,  with  the  flitting  forms  of  their  attendants, 
and  to  hear  the  confusing  hum  and  rattle  of  the 
machinery,  one  would  think  it  hardly  possible  to 
keep  an  oversight  of  the  individual  workers,  and  to 
know  the  relative  efficiency  and  faithfulness  of  each. 
The  personality  of  the  several  attendants  seems  lost 
in  the  great  sweep  of  common  industry;  and  one  is 
inclined  to  think  that  if  two  or  ten  of  the  loom- 
tenders  are  careless  or  clumsy,  it  is  not  likely  to  be 
known  among  so  many  in  that  thronged  and  clatter- 
ing room.  Yet  each  worker  there  is  both  known 
and  noted;  and  not  only  every  hour's,  but  each 
moment's,  faithfulness  is  a  matter  of  record  and  of 
correspondent  recompense. 

To  each  loom  there  are  thirty-six  hundred  fine 
cotton  threads,  forming  the  warp  of  the  muslin; 
and  to  each  inch  of  the  growing  web  are  supplied 
ninety -six  threads  of  the  filling  from  the  flying 
shuttle.  One  thread  of  either  warp  or  filling 
dropped,  or  broken,  or  entangled,  and  the  perfect- 
ness  of  the  web  is  destroyed.  If  a  thread  of  the 


In  Warp  and  Woof. 


375 


filling  breaks,  the  loom  must  be  stopped,  and  patient 
lingers  must  pick  out  the  filling  until  the  broken 
end  is  reached  and  newly  fastened  to  the  shuttle. 
If  the  eyes  of  the  loom-tender  have  wandered,  and 
a  break  in  the  filling  (forming  what  is  called  a  "  pick- 
out  ")  has  passed  unnoticed,  however  fair  and  firm 
what  follows  may  seem,  the  later  work  must  all  be 
taken  out,  and  the  "  pick-out "  corrected ;  and  this 
at  the  cost  of  the  loom-tender  himself,  who  is  paid, 
not  by  the  hour,  but  by  the  amount  of  cloth  he 
weaves.  If,  perchance,  a  defect  in  the  weaving,  from 
broken  warp  or  woof,  is  not  corrected  at  the  loom, 
then,  when  a  measure  of  fifty-three  yards,  or,  as  it  is 
called,  a  "  cut,"  of  cloth  is  finished,  the  piece  is 
taken  from  the  loom ;  on  the  outer  margin  of  its  roll 
is  pencilled  the  name  of  the  weaver  who  tended  it, 
and  it  passes  to  the  inspection-room.  There,  it  is 
examined,  and  when  the  break,  or  "  smash,"  is  found, 
the  amount  of  the  consequent  loss  is  charged  to  the 
weaver's  account.  When  on  pay-day  the  books  are 
opened,  every  weaver  receives  according  as  his  work 
has  been.  Each  defect  in  the  cloth  woven  at  his 
loom  is  charged  against  him,  and  he  must  bear,  its 
loss.  Then  also  he  finds  that  every  moment  of  his 
del  ay,  through  that  lack  of  attention  and  faithfulness 
at  the  loom,  which  necessitated  his  doing  over  again 
the  work  which  at  first  he  slighted,  has  diminished 
in  proportion  the  aggregate  of  his  wages.  His  pay 
corresponds  with  his  fidelity  and  efficiency,  rather 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 

and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


Making  the 
record. 


The  record 
disclosed. 


376 


Teaching  and  Teachers. 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


As  one  that 
must  give 
account. 


By  their 
fruits. 


than  with  his  opportunities  and  with  the  time  given 
by  him  to  his  assigned  work. 

Thus  while  the  thousand  looms  whirl  and  hum, 
and  the  thousand  shuttles  fly  back  and  forth,  and  the 
thousand  loom-tenders  have  before  them  the  millions 
of  on-moving  separate  threads,  and  all  seems  a 
labyrinthian  confusion  in  the  great  weaving-room  of 
that  great  factory ;  the  individuals  apparently  lost  in 
the  shifting  multitude, — each  man  or  woman,  each 
boy  or  girl,  set  to  the  care  of  a  single  loom,  watches 
the  forming  web  "  as  one  that  must  give  account ;  " 
for  the  product  of  each  loom  is  to  come  before  him 
"  who  without  respect  of  persons,  judgeth  according 
to  every  man's  work,"  and  whose  word  goes  forth 
"to  render  to  each  man  according  as  his  work  is." 
And,  in  the  day  of  final  reckoning,  if  any  man's 
work  shall  be  found  at  fault,  "  he  shall  suffer  loss." 

Is  there  not  a  lesson  in  this  factory  weaving-room 
to  every  Sunday-school  teacher  ?  The  school  may 
be  a  large  one.  Hundreds  of  classes  may  be  busy  in 
the  same  great  room.  The  hum  of  voices  and  the 
bustle  of  the  many  workers  may  be  confusing,  and 
may  seem  .confused.  The  individual  may  appear 
lost  in  the  multitude.  The  faithful  and  the  careless 
are  side  by  side.  Who  can  know  the  difference? 
"  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  One  mo- 
ment's carelessness,  one  moment's  inattention  to  a 
single  scholar,  may  mar  the  teacher's  work  for  all 
that  day.  New  and  patient  endeavor  may  yet,  it  is 


The  Final  Reward. 


877 


true,  undo  the  wrong  teaching,  or  supply  a  lack  of 
the  right  word  at  the  fitting  season  ;  but  this  only  at 
the  cost  of  precious  time,  that  might  have  been  bet- 
ter improved.  If,  however,  the  neglect  is  not 
promptly  remedied,  it  is  by  no  means  forgotten; 
"  for  we  must  all  be  made  manifest  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ,  that  each  one  may  receive  the 
things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  what  he  hath 
done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."  And  He  who  is 
to  judge  us  there,  says,  as  to  the  little  things  in  our 
teaching  and  conduct,  "  that  every  idle  word  that 
men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in 
the  day  of  judgment  ;  "  and  as  to  any  failure  in  min- 
istry to  his  loved  ones  before  whom  he  has  set  us, 


bis  word  will  come  : 


as  ye  did  it  not  to 


one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  did  it  not  to  me."  Ah  ! 
there  is  a  weight  of  meaning  in  the  reminder  of  that 
Judge,  as  he  calls  to  his  every  representative  in  this 
sphere  of  preparation  for  that  day  :  "  Behold,  I  come 
quickly,  and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  render  to 
each  man  according  as  his  work  is." 

Then,  then,  "they  that  be  teachers  [they  that 
cause  others  to  discern  the  truth]  shall  shine  as  the 
brightness  of  the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn 
[they  that  influence]  many  to  righteousness  [shall 
shine]  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 


PART  II. 

The 

Teacher's 
Other  Work. 

SECTION  VI. 
Counseling 
and  Aiding 
at  all  Times. 


At  the 
judgment. 


Daniel's 
foresight. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


Abraham's  school,  855. 

Absence:  of  scholars,  dangers  of,  328;  of 

scholars,  cause  of,  329 ;  writing  to  scholars 

in  their  336. 

Absent  scholars,  reaching,  327-339. 
Absurd  attempts  in  teaching,  38. 
Ahab  and  God,  203. 
Alec,  Blind,  blind  memorizing  of,  21. 
All:  being  all  things  to,  49  ;  points  not  for 

all,  123. 

Alone,  finding  each  scholar,  352. 
A'phabet,  new-viewing  the,  223. 
American  Philological  Association,  106. 
Ananias  and  Sapphira,  lessons  from,  129. 
Angels  of  imagery,  155. 
Answers :  one  cause  of  stupid,  19 ;  to  set 

questions,  25;    using   wrong,   156,   192; 

planning  for  right,  189. 
Answering,  thinking  before,  178. 
Apportioning  questions,  136. 
Aptness  to  teach,  108. 
Army,  attention  in  the,  73 ;  boys,  writing 

to,  ^36. 
Arnold,  Thomas:  his  teaching-methods, 

48;  on  co-work,  96 ;  his  use  of  influence, 

261 ;  on  help  from  scholars,  321 ;  his  use  of 

correspondence,  335. 
Art  of  the  teaching-process,  103, 106. 
Ascham,  Roger:  as  an  educational  writer, 

27;  his  learning-method,  95. 
Attention :  securing  scholars' ,  70,  138 ;  in- 

dispensableness  of,  70,  73,  143;  defined^ 


71;  on  the  ball-field,  72;  in  the  army, 
73;  what  it  includes,  74;  difficulty  of 
securing,  75,  307;  testing,  76,  148;  hold- 
ing, 78, 149 ;  how  to  secure,  140. 

Barrel,  a  too-full,  65. 

Base-line,  finding  a,  255. 

Basket,  washing  the,  99. 

Baxter,  Richard,  preaching  of,  141. 

Beecher,  Thomas  K.,  question-plan  of,  179. 

Beelzebub's  way,  140. 

Beginning:  of  teaching,  a  right,  130,  141; 
to  review,  233. 

Bellows,  the  Sunday-school,  14. 

Bible :  Bible  explained  by  the,  132  ;  "  influ- 
ence" in  the,  244;  or  nothing,  188 ;  the 
name  used  as  a  mnemonic,  120. 

Bible-text :  help  of  the,  165 ;  writing  out  a, 
333. 

Bible-truths  related.  226. 

Bill  of  fare,  to  be  selected  from,  124, 134. 

Biddle  Market  Mission,  256. 

Blackboard:  using  the,  144;  the  invisible, 
145. 

Blacksmith,  influencing  the,  252. 

Blind  :  memorizing,  21 ;  scholars,  teaching 
of,  37;  leading  blind,  54. 

Bleaching,  the  process  of,  99. 

Body,  only  the,  85. 

Bondage,  house  of,  86. 

Books :  are  not  knowledge,  20, 23 ;  selecting, 
for  scholars,  366. 


382 


Index. 


Boy  who  was  there,  269. 

Boys:  interesting  the,  146 :  two  troublesome, 
315;  woman  teacher  for,  317. 

Breaking  scholars  in,  308. 

Bricks,  new-viewing,  225. 

Bright,  John,  his  plan  in  speaking,  133. 

Brimfulness,  too  much,  65. 

Brooks,  Phillips,  on  preaching,  259. 

Bucket-and-pump  instruction,  13. 

Burroughs,  John,  on  characteristic  quali- 
ties, 109. 

Bushnell,  Horace:  misunderstood, 84 ;  on 
co-work,  96 ;  his  angels  of  imagery,  155 ; 
on  unconscious  influence,  265,  273. 

Busy,  children  enjoy  being,  174. 

Byron,  Lord,  mechanically  instructed,  18. 


Call,  an  unseasonable,  347. 

Care  in  influencing,  264. 

Carlyle,  Thomas,  on  bucket  and  pump  in- 
struction, 13. 

Catechism,  a  meaningless  recitation  of,  17. 

Catechetical  teaching  defined,  128. 

Cent,  knowing  head  and  tail  of,  170. 

Cerebrum,  studying  without  using  the, 
89, 186. 

Chalk,  the  power  of,  144. 

Chalmers,  Thomas :  his  question-prepara- 
tion, 131;  a  pupil  of,  11. 

Chaplain,  a  discouraged,  107. 

Character:  teaching  by,  270;  endless  task 
of  upbuilding,  325. 

Characteristic  qualities  to  be  observed,  110. 

Child :  each,  as  an  individual,  51 ;  unique- 
ness of  each,  109. 

Child-reverence,  securing,  273. 

Child  training,  Solomon  on,  50. 

Children:  enjoy  working,  173;  often  be- 
come Christians  early,  347. 

Chinaman,  identifying  a,  110. 

Christ:  teaching-method  of,  49;  review- 
methods  of,  215 ;  revealed  in  the  teacher, 
267,295;  help  from,  304;  or  conversion? 
342 ;  on  the  new  birth,  344, 


Christians:    unrecognized,   347;   helping 

first,  371. 

Christmas  gathering,  a,  332. 
Church:  joining  the,  316*  kept  from  join- 
ing the,  344;  three  agencies  of  the,  358; 

school,  the  early,  356;  after  joining  the, 

372. 

Cicero's  learning-method,  95. 
Cipher,  teaching  in,  88. 
Circus,  scholar  who  attended  the,  171. 
Class :  each  is  a  unit,  318 ;  right  number  of 

scholars  for  a,  320. 
Class-books,  the  forgotten,  75. 
Class  slates :  use  of,  194 ;  co-work  with,  196. 
Classes,  difference  in,  300. 
Cleansing,  furnishing  not,  100. 
Clear :  making,  what  you  teach,  79-91  j.50- 

166 ;  necessity  of  being,  87, 150. 
Coleridge,    Samuel    Taylor,    concerning 

ignorance,  38. 
Color-blind  teachers,  107. 
Completeness :      growth     toward,     323  ? 

through  reviewing,  238 ;  attaining,  352. 
Conduct,  a  teacher's  duty  of  guarding  his, 

275. 

Confidence,  the  believer's,  229. 
Confucius,  on  the  teacher's  influence,  280. 
Confusion,  gain  through ,  4. 
Control,  ability  to,  a  gift,  319. 
Conundrum :  what  is  the  number  of  a  calf's 

legs?  7. 
Conversion,  meaning  of,  341 ;  regeneration 

not,  342  ;  mistakes  about,  343;  Christians 

before,  316;  after,  what,  369. 
Converts,  guiding  young,  369. 
Cork,  drawing  the,  97. 
Cornelius,  the  band-leader,  151. 
Corresponding  with  scholars,  333. 
Counselling  and  aiding  scholars  at  all 

times,  352-377. 
Co-work:  securing  scholar's,  92-102,  167; 

importance  of,  92;  efficacy  of,  96;  diffi- 
culty of  securing,  307. 
Crisis  in  teaching,  scholar's  absence  bringi 

a,  330. 


Index. 


383 


"Caddie,  daddle,"  168. 

Dancing,  a  misplaced  tract  against,  115. 

Pavid's  use  of  influence,  249. 

Deacon  Chase  described,  291. 

Deaf,  scholars  who  are  practically,  38. 

Death- bed  ignorance,  11. 

Decision:  helping  scholars  to  Christian, 
340-351 ;  opportunity  for,  350. 

Definings,  indefinite,  26. 

Demon-possessed  children,  305. 

Deutsch,  Emanuel,  on  rabbinical  methods, 
119. 

Devil,  the,  not  easily  defeated,  870. 

Dickens,  Charles,  his  use  of  repetition,  218. 

Didactic  teaching  defined,  127. 

Die,  willing  to :  for  scholars,  251 ;  for  a 
superintendent,  290. 

Differences  in  scholars,  need  of  recogniz- 
ing, 108. 

Different,  being,  to  each  scholar,  48. 

Difficulties  in  teaching  inevitable,  307. 

Discipleship,  the  test  of,  347. 

Doctor,  examining  a  young,  62. 

Doors,  fashioning  the  bronze,  324. 

Dose,  not  the  same,  for  all,  58. 

Dotheboys  Hall,  methods  of.  58. 

Dowling,  Dr.,  his  illustrative  rope,  164. 

Drayton's  use  of  "  learn,"  28. 

Dullness,  Goddess  of,  90. 

Dunciad  of  Pope,  the,  90. 

Duties :  are  manifold,  308 ;  the  teacher's 
general,  352 ;  never  conflict,  366. 

Duty  of  being  loved,  290. 


Ease,  being  at,  171. 

Effort,  teaching  requires  an,  92. 

Egypt,  the  house  of  bondage  in,  86. 

Elements  of  the  teaching-process,  68-102. 

Elijah's  mistaken  singularity,  346. 

Elliptical  teaching  defined,  128. 

jfcmerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  on  disclosure  of 

character,  113. 
Emmaus,  the  scholar  at,  1 9. 
Employment  for  scholars,  seeking,  364 


Empty  minds,  duty  of  filling,  100. 

End :  looking  to  the,  133 :  the,  not  yet,  326; 

the,  sought  in  teaching,  340. 
Error:   need  of  discerning,  4;   showing, 

not  enough,  26 ;  a  common,  343. 
Essentials  of  the  teaching-process,  35-67. 
Euclid,  a  stupid  student  of,  23. 
Example:    what  an,  is,  156;  explaining 

the  word,  156. 

Exhaustive  study  is  exhausting,  122. 
Explanation,  the  place  of,  181. 
Eye:  securing  help  from,  in  teaching,  165; 

employing  the  scholar's,  193;  hearing 

with  the,  266. 
Ezekiel,  the  preacher,  99. 
Ezra's  school,  356. 


Face,  studying  the  teacher's,  271. 

Faith,  power  through,  305. 

Faithful  teachers,  reward  of,  364. 

Familiarity  with  scholars,  importance  of, 
172. 

Family :  prayers,  inattention  at,  76 ;  in- 
sufficient of  itself,  355;  Abraham  had 
school  before  having  a,  355 ;  and  school, 
358;  limitations  of  the,  359. 

Famine,  a  Sunday-school,  200. 

Farrar,  Archdeacon,  on  controlling  schol- 
ars, 319. 

Fastening  the  truth  taught,  210-220. 

Father,  influence  of  a,  263. 

Feeling,  danger  in  mere,  350. 

Figurative  language,  use  of,  confusing,  161. 

Filling,  not  fullness,  sought,  134. 

Fitch,  J.  G. :  objections  of,  183;  method 
of,  184;  objections  to  method  of,  184. 

Fly-poison,  a  dose  of,  46. 

Francis  de  Sales,  his  estimate  of  knowl- 
edge, 261. 

Freeman,  J.  M.,  his  invisible  blackboard, 
145. 

Friend's  school,  a  true,  292. 

Fruits :  known  by  their,  162 ;  branches  that 
bear,  372. 


384 


Index. 


Forgotten,  how  much  must  be,  93,  213. 

Following  up  scholars,  330. 

Full  of  subject,  being  too,  65. 

Fuller,  Thomas:   on  reviewing,  217;  on 

influence,  250. 
Fun  in  its  place,  311. 

Galilean,  "the despised,"  who  was?  41. 
Gall,  James :  his  test  of  "  Blind  Alec,"  21 ; 

his  question-method,  177;  his  method 

objected  to,  182;  his  method  defended, 

183. 
Gallaudet,  Thomas  H.,  his  reading-book, 

174. 

Garret-school,  love  in  a,  286. 
Gehazi,  the  leper,  studied,  174. 
General  exercises  power  of,  361. 
Geometry,  parrot-recitations  in,  22. 
Girls,  a  man  can  best  teach,  317. 
Giving  and  gaining,  94. 
Goethe's  essential  for  teachers,  123. 
Good  Samaritan,  parable  of  the,  183. 
Goodness,  one  boy's  idea  of,  39. 
Gregory,  J.  M.,  his  plan  for  study,  120. 
Griffin,  Edward  Dorr,  repeating  his  text, 

217. 
Grindstone  exercises,  25. 


Habit  of  attention,  the,  148. 

Hall,  G.  Stanley,  his  test  of  child-knowl- 
edge. 43. 

Hand,  hinting  with  the,  316. 

Hart,  John  S.:  on  reciting  and  learning, 
16;  his  definition  of  teaching,  28;  his 
forgotten  class-books,  75;  on  co-workf 
96 ;  on  right  size  of  a  class,  320. 

Having  and  using  influence,  241-283. 

Hawthorne,  Nathaniel :  his  estimate  of 
children's  ability,  159 ;  on  the  loss  of  an 
ideal,  274. 

Hearer:  a  mistaken,  83  ;  an  ignorant,  11. 

Hearing:  not  learning,  10;  not  teaching, 
53;  attention  more  than,  71. 

Heart,  aiming  at  the,  289. 


Hebrew  tongue,  employing  the,  142. 

Help:  from  a  good  scholar,  821;  for  a 
scholar,  349  ;  from  God,  351. 

Helps  that  do  not  help,  187. 

Helpers,  a  teacher's,  320. 

Helping  to  Christian  decision,  340-351. 

Herbert,  George,  on  the  preacher's  charac- 
ter, 267. 

Hold  on  scholar,  gaining  a  new,  314. 

Home:  inviting  scholars  to  one's,  310; 
teachers  helped  from,  322. 

Horse,  managing  a,  299. 

Horses,  pulling  harder  than,  139. 

How,  knowing  the,  103, 116. 

Human  nature,  teacher  must  know,  105. 

Huntington,  Bishop,  on  unconicious  influ- 
ence, 271. 


Idealize,  children  prone  to,  274. 

Identification,  what  is  required  for,  110. 

Ignorance:  need  of  understanding.  39; 
comprehending  a  scholar's,  40;  unsus- 
pected childish,  43. 

Illustration :  defined,  154 ;  wise  use  of,  54. 

Illustrations,  finding,  132. 

Illustrative  teaching  defined,  128. 

Important :  retaining  the,  215 ;  emphasiz- 
ing the,  220. 

Incarnation,  personality  in  the,  268. 

Individual :  each  child  an,  51 ;  studying 
the,  109;  work,  value  of,  374. 

Inflowing,  influence,  an,  245,  268. 

Influence:  place  of,  100:  defined,  241; 
having,  and  using,  241-283;  uses  of  the 
word,  244 ;  voluntary,  248 ;  not  instruc- 
tion ,  252 ;  unconscious,  265 ;  responsibility 
for,  275 ;  permanency  of,  280. 

Influencing:  teacher's  duty  of,  32;  not 
teaching,  32. 

Inquiry-meeting,  gain  of  a  Sunday-school, 
352. 

Interest:  attention  more  than,- 71;  atten- 
tion from,  144 ;  arousing,  146  ;  manifest- 
ing, 313,  363. 


Index. 


385 


Jacotot's  definition  of  teaching,  27. 

Jehushaphat's  school,  366. 

Jeroboam's  progress  in  wickedness,  228. 

Jesuits,  review  methods  of,  211. 

John,  the  Apostle  :  and  his  robber  scholar, 

331 ;  his  aim  in  instruction,  311. 
Joining  the  church,  prepared  for,  342,  344. 
Josephs,  the  two,  confounded,  85. 
Judging  scholars  correctly,  113. 
Judgment,  at  the,  377. 


Kine,  Pharaoh's  lean,  symbolized,  14,  200. 
Knowing:  scholars,  need  of,  37 ;  lesson  in 

advance,  52,  117;  scholars,  time  for,  llo. 
Knowledge :  testing  scholar's,  44, 113;  not 

theory,  necessary,  61;  making,  available, 

64;  needing  more  than,  66;  test  of,  209; 

gain  of,  260. 


Landscape,  new-viewing  a,  226. 

Language:  necessity  of  a  common,  38; 
lacking  a  common,  38;  forgetting  one's 
own,  214. 

Lateral  forces  in  the  Sunday-school,  360. 

Law  and  Gospel  misunderstood,  41. 

Learn,  early  meaning  of,  28. 

Learned-pig  process,  89. 

Learning:  no  teaching  without,  10,  28; 
once  meant  teaching,  28;  by  teaching, 
95 ;  effort  required  for,  92. 

Learning-process,  its  twofold  nature,  L9. 

Lecture-system,  out  of  place  in  Sunday- 
school,  97. 

Lesson:  teaching  involves  a,  31 ;  knowing 
the,  56;  how  to  itudy  the,  116;  a  speci- 
men, 175;  the  thirteenth,  230. 

Lesson-helps,  place  of,  131, 187. 

Lesson-text,  having  in  mind  the,  189. 

Let  alone,  Christian  liberty  to,  276. 

Letter,  a  teacher  s  weekly,  334. 

Level:  seeking  scholar's,  152,  167,  313; 
reaching  scholar's,  169. 

Library,  teachers  should  know  the,  367. 


Light,  Christians  shedding,  273. 

Like  producing  Jike,  281. 

Limits,  understanding  scholar's,  59. 

Listlessness :     absence     of,    72;     absent 

through,  72. 

Listeners,  inattentive,  77. 
Locke,  John,  learning-method  of,  95. 
Look,  won  by  a,  1287. 
Looking  up  to  leaders,  273. 
Looms,  a  lesson  from  the,  374. 
Lost:   from  Sunday-school,  328;   seeking 

the,  332. 
Love:  influence  of,  254;   as  a  duty,  285; 

all  crave,  286;   begets  love,  280 ;  power 

of,  293,  330. 
Loving:   and  winning  love,  284-296;  all 

can  be,  293. 
Lyons,  Alexander,  "  Blind  Alec,"  21. 


Make-believe  and  reality,  159. 

Manage,  origin  of  the  word,  298,  323. 

Managing:  scholars  while  present,  297- 
326 ;  many  bright  classes  need,  301 ;  \\  ays 
of,  3i7. 

Mann,  Mrs.  Horace,  her  story  about ''  good- 
ness," 39. 

Map-drawing,  Sunday-school,  194. 

Marcel's  consensus  of  learning-methods, 
195. 

Mark  Twain's  bereaved  miner,  81. 

"  Manschefand,"  what  is  it?  17. 

Measure,  understanding  scholar's,  151. 

Medium,  truth  needs  a,  79. 

Meeting  with  scholar,  a  wayside,  314. 

Memorizing:  meaningless,  18,22,89;  insuf- 
ficiency of  mere,  21,  21;  of  Scripture, 
stupid,  22;  possible  gain  in,  23;  can  be 
secured,  24;  of  Scripture,  wise,  24. 

Message,  need  of  a  return,  88. 

Metals,  different,  worked  differently,  46. 

Method:  choosing  a,  66;  the  threefold 
teaching,  10 1, 

Methods:  teachers  must  know,  60,  64; 
of  the  teaching-process,  103 ;  in  prepara- 


386 


Index. 


tion  for  teaching,  105-137;  in  practice, 
138- ,98;  iu  review,  199-238;  employing 
different,  312. 

Milton:  on  attention,  140;  on  the  power 
of  personality,  266 ;  his  use  of  the  word 
"influence,"  246. 

Mind,  having  the  answers  in,  190. 

Miner  and  minister,  chasm  between,  81. 

Min  istry  .  i  inpor tance  of  the  teacher's,  362 ; 
from  Sunday  school  into  ,  he,  365. 

Mirae:es,  plainer  than  parables,  157. 

Mission-scholar,  a  saved,  278. 

Mhsion-bchool,  won  by  a,  288. 

Missionary,  influence  of  one  Sunday- 
school,  269.  . 

Mnemonics  for  Bible-study,  various,  110. 

Montaigne's  learning-method,  95. 

Moody,  Dwight  L.,  personal  influence  of, 
260. 

Morrison,  "  Tom,"  personal  influence  of, 
257. 

Moses'  school,  355. 

Mother's  influence,  a,  278. 


Neglect,  scholars  in  danger  of,  327. 

New  birth,  doctrine  of  the,  344. 

New  teacher's  trials,  308. 

New-viewing:  reviewing  as,  221;  impor- 
tance of,  222,  236 ;  examples  of,  224,  231 ; 
questions  in,  234. 

Newton,  John,  his  mother's  memory,  278. 

Not,  leaving  out  the,  84. 

Number  in  a  class,  the  proper,  320. 

Numbers,  influence  of,  362. 


Object-teaching  denned,  128. 
Offending  the  little  ones,  348. 
Old  sermons,  preaching,  107. 
Olney,  Edward,  on  learning  by  speaking, 

97. 

Order  of  study,  the  true,  122. 
Orfila,  Professor,  and  the  fly-poison,  46. 
Oriental  school,  recitation  in  an,  17. 


Origin  of  the  Sunday-school,  353. 
Over  and  over  again,  210,  220,  325. 
Oyster-like  and  trout-like  classes,  300. 


"  Papa's  text,"  334. 

Parable  :  of  the  Sower,  178 ;  of  the  Good 
Samaritan,  183. 

Parables:  miracles  plainer  than,  157;  the 
purpose  of,  163. 

Parents:  help  from,  322;  influence  of, 
2r>3,  278;  retain  responsibility,  358. 

Parrot-recitations,  17,22  90,  186. 

Passion  of  Christ,  its  meaning,  40. 

Passive  learning,  no,  98. 

Pastor,  in  charge  of  all  the  flock,  364. 

Pattern :  teacher.  9, 1:J5 ;  following  the,  157, 
282;  Christ  the  Perfect,  282. 

Patience  in  teaching,  153. 

Patient  and  medicine,  understanding 
both,  57. 

Paul's  aim  at  influencing,  251. 

Paxson,  '•  Father,"  his  first  teaching  ex- 
perience, 207. 

Payne.  Joseph,  his  judgment  of  teachers, 
44. 

Persistence,  teacher's,  exemplified,  331. 

Personality,  power  of,  259,  266. 

Perspective :  seeing  in,  226;  not  from  repe- 
tition, 230. 

Peter:  repeatedly  enjoined,  216;  his  mis- 
take in  limiting,  346. 

Pharaoh's  lean  kine:  hearers  like,  14; 
scholars  like,  200. 

Philosophy  of  the  teaching-process,  102. 

Physic,  taking  in,  224. 

Pictorial  teaching  defined,  127. 

Pilate,  what  was?  190. 

Plaintiff  and  defendant,  86. 

Plan:  of  study  needed,  118;  value  of,  121; 
of  study,  having  a,  129;  subordinating 
the,  132. 

Planets,  supposed  influence  of  the,  244, 246. 

Planning  for  teaching,  125-137. 

Points,  selecting  certain,  124, 328. 


Index. 


387 


Polite  attentions,  subduing  through,  317. 

Pope's  Dunciad,  90. 

Porter,  Noah,  on  reading,  95. 

Practical,  importance  of  the,  63,  297. 

Practice,  methods  in,  138-198. 

Preacher:  enlightened,  12;    influence  of 

a,  258. 

Preaching :  not  teaching,  14 ;  and  teach- 
ing, difference  between,  93;  defined,  98; 

elements  of,  259;  to  the  heart,  289. 
Preliminary  requisites  f  ^r  teaching,  118. 
Preparation  :  teacher's  need  of,  52.  55,  235, 

d09;  methods  in,  105-137;  for  teaching, 

special,  116. 
Prescription,  not  medical  lecture,  needed, 

50. 

Preston,  E.  B.,  meeting  in  heaven,  293. 
Private,  words  with  scholars  in, "312. 
Profession,  need  of  the  practical  in  every 

64. 

Progress,  true  test  of,  201. 
Propitiation,  failure  to  understand,  87. 
"  P  s"  and  "  D's,"  the  four,  121. 
Pulpit:  Sunday-school  antedates  the,  354; 

limitations  of  the,  301. 
Purpose :  of  this  volume,  3 ;  having  a,  248. 

Quarter's  lessons,  reviewing  the,  230. 

Question:  finding  answer  to  a  set,  25;  for 
each  scholar,  136;  an  unanswerable, 
142 ;  scholars  should,  193 :  repeating 
emphasizes  a,  219. 

Question  book :  a  case  of  too  much,  19 ;  in 
place  of  a  teacner,  Ifc8. 

Question-method :  of  Socrates,  94 ;  of 
James  Gall,  177;  of  Thomas  K.  Beecher, 
179;  <5f  J.  G.  Fitch,  183. 

Questioning :  preparing  for,  131 ;  for  atten- 
tion, 145 ;  the  place  of,  I',  6 ;  three  grades 
of,  181;  order  of,  181;  vague,  185;  skill- 
ful, 189;  true  standard  of,  208;  in  new- 
viewing,  233. 

Quick,  Robert  Herbert :  on  repetition,  212 ; 
on  class-unity,  318. 

Quick  answering,  too,  316. 


Rabbinical :  mnemonics,  119 ;  schools,  358. 

Rarey's  private  word  with  a  horse,  310. 

Reaching  scholars  when  absent,  327-33'J. 

Reading,  advising  scholars  about,  366. 

Recapitulation:  limitations  of,  221;  gain 
of,  236. 

Reciting  and  learning,  distinction  be- 
tween, 16. 

Recitations,  rote  and  parrot,  17,  89, 186. 

Record,  making  one's  own,  375. 

Refrains  and  choruses,  218. 

Regeneration,  conversion  not,  342. 

Relation  bet  ween  scholar  and  teacher,  353, 
,  363. 

Remembering:  telling  assists,  91;  review- 
ing assists,  212 ;  influence  assists,  2  3. 

Repetition  :  assistance  of,  92 ;  importance 
of,  212;  power  of,  218;  limitations  of, 
221 ;  givt  s  no  perspective,  230. 

Requirements  for  teaching  three,  3> 

Responsibility :  for  influence,  universal, 
276;  of  teachers,  138,  167,  238,  362,  373;  of 
parents,  358. 

Results  of  influence,  279. 

Reviewing:  defined,  198,  223;  three-fold- 
ness  of,  198;  informal,  202,  219;  fasten- 
ing by,  210-220 ;  importance  of,  211:  at 
stated  times,  220;  as  new-viewing,  221; 
perspective  in,  229. 

Review-methods,  199-238;  of  the  Jesuits, 
211;  Christ's,  215;  Paul's,  216. 

Revision,  limitations  of,  221. 

Robber-scholar,  the  Aposile  John's,  331. 

Rope,  an  illustrative,  165. 

Rote  recitations.  17,  89, 186. 

Rubbing  it  in,  182. 

Rugby  Academy,  use  of  influence  at,  261. 

Sacrament,  knowledge  the  eighth.  261. 

Salesman,  test  of  a  good,  139. 

Salt  and  ministers,  16:i. 

Saved  as  by  fire,  scholars,  344. 

Scholars:  teaching  deaf,  9 ;  need  of  know- 
ing, 27,  47;  help  of,  essential,  31 ;  proof 
of  success  w  th,  U;  reaching  different. 


388 


Index. 


48;  and  lesson,  knowing,  58 ;  studying, 
for  tfieir  teaching,  105-115;  failing  to 
know.  106 ;  studying  peculiarities  of,  111, 
130;  out  of  school.  112;  shaping  and 
guiding,  241-2J-3;  managing,  while  pres- 
ent, 297-326;  reaching,  while  absent  327- 
339 ;  following  up,  332 ;  helping,  to  Chris- 
tian decision,  310-351 ;  questioned  con- 
cerning beliefs,  349;  counselling  and 
aiding,  at  all  times,  352-377. 

School  ship  boys,  addressing,  54. 

Scripture:  senseless  memorizing  of,  22; 
wise  memorizing  of,  24. 

Securing  scholars'  co  work,  92. 

Seeing :  is  believing,  80 ;  not  learning,  93. 

Selecting  for  scholars,  123. 

Self-help,  indispensableness  of,  95. 

Self-management  and  class-management, 
309. 

Shakespeare:  his  use  of  "learn,"  29;  con- 
cerning attention,  70;  his  use  of  "  influ- 
ence," 241;  on  management,  298. 

Shaping  and  guiding  scholars,  277. 

Sheep  or  goat,  expecting  to  be  a,  161. 

Sheep-shearing,  lesson  from  a,  147. 

Shepherd,  teaching  about  the  Good,  160. 

Ships  and  religion,  ignorance  concerning, 
54. 

Signs  need  explaining,  81.  f 

Similes,  abundance  of,  to  be  found,  155. 

Simply,  telling  it,  152. 

Skill  in  -influencing,  249. 

Slates,  use  of,  195. 

Slowly,  telling  it,  152. 

Smith,  Robert,  on  the  Sunday-school  bel- 
lows, 14. 

Socrates:  concerning  ignorance,  39;  his 
question-method,  94.' 

Soldiers,  who  are  already  enlisted,  345. 

Solomon,  concerning  child-peculiarities, 
50. 

Son,  father  seen  in  the,  295. 

Souls  and  soles,  86. 

South,  Robert,  on  value  of  knowledge, 
261. 


Sower,  parable  of  the.  178. 

Special  need,  understanding  a  child's,  114. 

Spencer,  Herbert,  on  co-work,  96. 

Spirit,  advantage  of  a  high,  299. 

Standard,  raising  scholar's,  323. 

Stanley,  Dean,  estimating  Thomas  Ar- 
nold's teaching-method,  48. 

Stealing,  a  wet  blanket  on,  114. 

Stowe,  Calvin  E.,  influenced  by  his  father, 
263. 

Straight  line,  children  follow  best,  158. 

Straightforwardness,  gain  of,  161. 

Studying:  scholars,  importance  of,  50; 
scholars,  for  their  teaching,  105-115; 
what  it  is,  117;  plan  in,  118;  true  order 
of,  122 ;  a  lesson,  method  of,  122. 

Stumbling-block :  teacher's  actions  made 
a,  275 ;  conversion  made  a,  347. 

Stupidity,  artificially  cultivated,  89. 

Sunday-school :  meaning  of  teaching  in, 
30;  its  aim,  340 ;  its  origin,  353;  and  pa- 
rental responsibility,  358 ;  advantages  of 
the,  359. 

Superintendent :  his  use  of  influence,  255; 
a  beloved,  290 ;  following  the,  292. 

Symbols :  of  thought,  79 ;  danger  of,  157. 

Synagogue-school,  the,  356. 


Tale  of  Two  Cities,  Dickens's,  219. 

Talking :  a  teacher's,  not  teaching,  12 ;  a 
lesson  in,  168;  without  notes,  188. 

Talmud,  on  the  synagogue,  357. 

Tantalus,  a  lesson  from,  126. 

Teach :  knowing  what  to,  52-60 ;  deciding 
what  to,  55 ;  knowing  how  to,  60. 

Teacher :  inname  only,  7;  one,  who  failed 
to  teach,  12 ;  how  every  one  is  a,  30 ;  other 
work  of  the,  32:  the,  who  never  teaches, 
35;  advantages  of  a  young,  44,  1G9; 
ears  do  not  make  a,  53 ;  many  a,  need? 
teaching,  54 :  two  persons  to  make  one, 
101 ;  a  pattern,  135 ;  responsibility  of  the, 
138, 167,  238,362.279,373;  ministry  of  the, 
262;  his  duty  of  correspondence,  835; 


Index. 


389 


"the  best,  in  the  world,"  291;  one,  who 
loved,  294;  a  tormented,  302;  and  scholar, 
relation  between,  363;  opinion  of,  its 
value,  368. 

Teaciiing:  real  and  nominal,  5;  vague 
notions  of,  5,  27 ;  not  all,  is  teaching,  5-8 ; 
needs  denning,  6,  26 ;  telling  is  not,  9-15, 
205 ;  mistakes  concerning  its  nature,  9, 
16 ;  hearing  a  recitation  not,  16-24 ;  what 
it  is,  26;  Jacotot's  definition,  of,  27; 
Hart's  definition  of,  28 ;  more  than  learn- 
ing, 28 ;  other  uses  of  the  term,  30 ;  three- 
fold idea  of,  31;  influencing  is  not,  32; 
no  teaching  w;thout,  33,  101,  241;  and 
preaching,  compared,  98;  planning  for, 
125-137 ;  and  influencing,  254. 

Teaching-methods :  Thomas  Arnold's,  48  ; 
Christ's,  49 ;  technical,  127. 

Teaching-process:  nature  of  the,  3-34; 
proved  by  the  learner,  34 ;  its  essentials, 
35-67;  its  elements,  68-102;  its  three- 
foldness,  68,  196;  what  is  involved  in 
the,  101;  philosophy  of  the,  102;  meth- 
ods of  the,  103-138. 

Tears,  teaching  with,  217. 

Technical :  and  practical  compared,  63 ; 
teaching-methods,  127. 

Telling:  not  teaching,  9-15,  57,  205;  the 
place  of,  15. 

Temporary  discouragements,  204. 

Tennyson,  Alfred,  on  Christ's  personality, 
268. 

Testing:  attention,  76;  questions  for,  153, 
206 ;  importance  of,  199 ;  in  review-work, 
202;  methods  of,  205 ;  the  test  in,  208 ;  of 
the  teacher,  309 ;  of  the  scholar's  spirit- 
ual position,  348. 

Text :  an  unknown  term.  42;  the,  near  the 
door,  43 ;  use  of  a  startling,  142 ;  a  trip- 
hammer, 217. 

Theatre,  losing  influence  by  attending 
the,  276. 

Thinking  before  answering,  178. 

Thirst,  spiritual,  unsatisfied,  126. 

Tiiae :   plenty  of,  for  knowing  scholars, 


115;   keeping  within  the,  133;  amount 

of,  for  reviewing,  212 ;  now  the  best,  339. 
Title,  a  misleading,  86. 
Tobacco,  influenced  against  using,  263. 
Toxicologist,  a  useless,  62. 
Training:  in  attention,  a  lack  of,  203;  the 

value  of,  371. 
Transfiguration,  test-questions  about  the, 

77. 
Trust:    teachers  must,  305;  as  a  test  of 

belief,  349. 

Truth,  duty  of  influencing  by,  259. 
Tumult,  a  class  in,  302. 


Unconscious:  gain,  99;  influence,  265. 
Understanding,    complete,    essential    to 

clearness  90. 
Unit,  class  as  a,  318. 
Unity  in  teaching,  securing,  231. 
University,  Sunday  school  not  a,  97. 
Unknown  tongues  in  the  Sunday-school, 

41,  83. 
Unloved  and  unloving,  teacher  may  be, 

284. 
Unsaid,  something  must  be  left,  134. 


Vague :  notions  of  teaching,  27 ;  question- 
ing, 185. 

Vassar,  "  Uncle  John,"  his  influence,  252. 

Vent-hole,  need  of  a.  66. 

Veterans,  the  value  of,  371. 

Vichy,  the  waters  at,  281. 

Vincent,  John  H. :  his  plan  of  study,  121 ; 
his  blackboard-exercise,  144. 

Visiting  scholars  during  the  week,  112, 
312. 


Walker,  Mrs.  Edward  Ashley,  on  the  salt 

of  the  earth,  163. 
Waller's  use  of  "  influence,"  245. 
Wanted  of  scholars,  what  is,  173. 
Week-day  study  of  scholars,  112. 


390 


Index. 


Wet  blanket,  use  of  a,  115. 

Whittle,  Major  D.  W.,  personal  influence 
of,  255. 

Wilkinson,  William  Cleaver:  his  learning- 
plan,  120;  on  management,  315. 

Window,  the  preacher  as  a,  267. 

Woods,  where  are  the?  42. 

Words:  difficulty  of  defining  familiar,  5; 
as  symbols,  80 ;  inadequateness  of  mere, 
80,  83;  misunderstanding,  51,  84;  not 
truths,  88;  place  of,  117;  straightforward 
use  of,  158;  new-viewing,  224;  private, 
with  scholars,  310. 


Word-questions,  beginning  with,  180. 
Work :  setting  scholars  at,  172 ;  child-love 

of,  173;   of  scholar,  in  reviewing,  232; 

the    teacher's    other,    241-377;   of    the 

teacher,  never  finished,  370. 
Works,  faith  shown  by,  306. 
Writing  to  scholars,  334. 
Wrong  answers,  using,  156. 
"  Ws,"  the  five,  120. 

Yale,  a  class  reunion  at,  294. 

Young  teachers,  advantages  of,  45, 169. 

Yung  Wing's  forgetting  Chinese,  214. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  .the  last  date  stamped  below. 


DEO    5     1947 


DeclCfSpAII 


OCT  9    19T9 

CIS.  4  U79 


LD  21-100i»-9,'47(A5702sl6)476 


443 


mM 


